University Challenge - Quarter Final 2

University Challenge - Quarter Final 2 - Balliol College, Oxford vs Pembroke College, Cambridge

Balliol College, Oxford

Liam Shaw

Andrew Whitby

Simon Wood

James Kirby

Vs

Pembroke College, Cambridge

Ed Bankes

Ben Pugh

Bibeb Mukherjee

Imogen Gold

After the Christmas University Challenge had entertained over the festive period it was back to business with the second quarter final. Balliol Oxford vs Pembroke Cambridge.

Mukherjee was first to buzz after everyone failed on Shakespeare to get Pembroke off the mark, Ben Pugh followed this up and Pembroke were 30-0 in the lead. Pugh was fast on the buzzer again and gave his team an interesting  round on post-war British Prime Ministers. The picture round followed and Ben Pugh again showed his knowledge identifying Venus from its interior. This was a hard round indeed and not the sort of information you would just happen to know but the team managed all three and Pembroke lead 70-0. 

Mukherjee kept their run going with another buzz in, Balliol were quiet and needing some points quickly and it game through James Kirkby. They managed to get all three questions and stopped Pembrokes momentum well. Ben Pugh, turning into the star of the team, soon put this right with his knowledge of Opera and getting all three questions saw the lead grow to 115-25.

James Kirby seemed to be the only member of Balliol willing to buzz and many of the team members were very quiet throughout the night. The music round, based on films by Hans Zimmer, was rather tough I thought and Pembroke, thanks again to Ben Pugh's buzz, managed one of them and were now 100 points in the lead. With ten minutes to go Balliol needed a miracle and the way they were playing it did seem likely that would not be happening.

Pugh and Mukherjee really took control of the team with Gold popping up with a buzz or two and Bankes seeming to be adding his knowledge at various parts but Ben Pugh was the driving force without doubt.

 Balliol made a better play of events over the next few minutes getting back to a respectable score but as soon as that 100 point lead had been opened up, and considering the form of Pembroke and Pugh in particular this really was a one sided affair throughout. Balliol made a comeback towards the end showing signs they could still pose a threat in this contest, with the format being as it is, but are unlikely to be crowned champions.   Pembroke on the other hand could go all the way!

The final score of this University Challenge Quarter Final ended up with Pembroke the clear victor, winning 240-160.

University Challenge returns next week as usual with another Quarter Final.