QUESTIONS covering ‘Nature’ and ‘Round Britain’ were interwoven in order to provide the content for the last themed ‘Tabletop’ of the 2014/15 Oxfordshire Winter Quiz Leagues.
The contest itself was then staged at three separate locations around the county last Thursday evening.
The cosy setting of the Eight Bells (Long Crendon) provided one such with the home side just getting the better of their sole visitor, the Chandos Arms (Oakley), 120-116.
In a belting tie hosted by the Woodman (North Leigh), the Windrush Club (Witney), who generally underperform in this type of format, excelled in racking up 130 points to see off one of the teams of the season, the Blue Boar Bees (Chipping Norton), who wound up on 123. These totals were high enough to reward these two outfits with overall placements of second and fourth.
However, as appears to be the norm in these events, the recipient of the silverware emerged not from one of the satellite venues but from the one entertaining the largest congregation, on this occasion, the Green Road Club (Kidlington).
With barely a quarter of the tie remaining, only two points divided Premiership big guns, the Ploughman’s Bunch! (Wolvercote), from runaway leaders in the West, the Royal Sun (Begbroke), and their near-neighbours, the Seacourt Bridge (Botley).
One of the reasons for recent Bunch’s success has been their ability to maintain consistency in the latter stages, regardless of the effects of fatigue or, dare I say it, alcohol! Consequently, the extra couple of points they now managed to eke out here and there in the dying embers enabled them to hold out for the win on 133 with the Seacourt in second on 128 and the Royal Sun completing the podium on 122.
The league campaign resumes on Thursday and will be without interruption until its close in four weeks. Unfortunately, for those wanting tight finishes, most of the divisions will be settled long before the final engagements.
Indeed, the Bees are already celebrating the successful defence of the North title, while the Royal Sun requires just one more win to achieve likewise in the West. They may have to wait another seven days to crack open the champagne but if they could seal the pennant with victory over the Bunch! this week, there would be no sweeter way of doing it.
Windrush club steer to second after quality tie Fixtures and further details can be found at oxfordshirequizleagueco.uk
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