LAST Thursday night a number or teams in the Oxfordshire Winter Quiz Leagues participated in the final competition of 2015, the Sport Tabletop.

Two venues were selected: a small contingent congregating at the Chequers (Chipping Norton) while the main rump settled in at the North Oxford Conservative Club (Summertown).

Having recorded three wins from four matches in the regular season and rewarded with second spot currently in the North Division, the Chequers continued their great run of form by landing the spoils on home turf.

Battling neck and neck with the Woodman (North Leigh) for the entire contest, a stunning last round saw them overturn a narrow two point deficit to scrape over the line, 134-133, with the rather lacklustre Sun Inn (Hook Norton) trailing in a distant third on 108.

Such was the standard of sporting knowledge on display at the Con Club, however, the Chequers’ impressive score was only good enough for eighth in the overall standings.

It has been a magnificent 12 months for the Plough (Wolvercote). Back in April they celebrated regaining the Winter Premiership title before then going on to repeat this success in October in the summer equivalent.

They have also added a significant amount of tabletop silverware to their trophy cabinet and were now to supplement that further.

Skipper Vince rocked up, appropriately enough, in a pair of shorts while at the same time showing his steely intent by donning a T-shirt emblazoned with the logo, ‘You Don’t Scare Me, I’ve Got Three Daughters’!

Fittingly, given the sporting theme, it was the Ben Stokes doppelganger and his posse from the Royal Blenheim (Oxford City) who were quickest out of the blocks. Recovering from a slight stutter, they entered the half-time interval on level terms with the Plough with the Green Road Club (Kidlington) hot on their heels.

Fortified by a delightful chicken curry, from which I’m sure I saw the Chinster help himself to thirds, hostilities recommenced. A shocker of a restart by the Black Swan (East Oxford) consigned them to the also rans but it was good to see the ‘young blood’ on display that Captain Conway has been skilfully nurturing.

Leading by five entering the final round, a strong finish ensured victory for the Plough on 145 with the Bell (Lower Heyford) bursting from the pack to steal second (142). Diddly Dee and his Green Road buddies completed the podium with early pacesetters, the Royal Blenheim, an agonising fourth.

Merry Christmas!

JAMES CARR'S QUESTIONS
1. The career of which American actor was revitalised after his performance as an ageing wrestler in Darren Aronofsky’s 2008 film The Wrestler? 

2. Which current Premier League player has made 575 appearances in the Premier League, putting him third on the all-time appearances list?

3. Which horse won the Grand National in which 8/1 favourite, Spartan Missile, ridden by 54-year-old amateur jockey John Thorne finished second? 

4. When commenting on a particularly exciting piece of play or an outstanding shot, tennis commentator Dan Maskell would use his most revered catchphrase. What was the three word catchphrase? 

Answers: 1 Mickey Rourke, 2 Gareth Barry, 3 Aldaniti, 4 Oh I say.