President's Cup Archive

Archive reports of the matches in the "Toughest Test in Team Quizzing"

This page has undergone modification. Anyone suffering withdrawal symptoms from one of the finest collection of cliches in the Quizzing world should email me - I have archived some of the outstanding ones. Sadly some of my finest written moments went west with the hard disk.However, I include the latter half of 0304 below. London were champions once more and in atight match for the "Championship of the Universe and Everything" (the Don Bisset Cup") at the festival in June, tied for honours with the North side (who needed reinforcement from Cambridge!

MEMORIES OF 2003-04
ROUND 5 - THAT OLD GANG OF MINE!

The Cup swung into action in the New Year with a hangover providing the biggest excitement. The fixture from September, which had been postponed, provided one of the most amazing finishes in recent Team Quiz history. At the end of Round Six, Oxford, for whom Mike had an outstanding afternoon, were leading 34-29 and seemed to be cruising to a win. Suddenly the Masterminders, who had Ken, Howard and Paul W, to support Gavin, banged in a 9-1 round to stand the game on its head. “Stung by this reverse” as the sports writers used to say -and it certainly appears to have been the case here – Oxford dug deep and won Round Eight 7-3 to win by the narrowest of margins. Phew!

The scheduled fixtures had no such drama with the usual suspects hitting hard. Mike took six of his own in Oxford’s easier win and Gavin, Robert and Mick had “five hits”. A rather ring-rusty President answered London’s call at Rising Sun and I can state emphatically that I was happy to be back with my old mates and revisit one of the best sides I ever played for but more than relieved that I didn’t let the lads down and that Cambridge were having a bit of an off day, putting us in and then having to play catch-up

London	45	(Robert Willer 15;Mick Lancaster 12
Cambridge	33	(John Grant 13)

Oxford	40	(Mike Billson 25)
Mastermind Club	36	(Gavin Fuller 16)

From 28th Sept
Mastermind Club	41	(Gavin Fuller 15)
Oxford	42	(Mike Billson 19; Roger Mortimore 13)

ROUND SIX - LONDON LIGHTS

The experienced London quartet maintained their position as front runners with a convincing win over Counties at the Rising Sun, EC1. Skipper Robert Willer, with a “five hit”, led the way as the home team romped into a ten points lead after only two rounds. Although winning Rounds 4&5, this was too big a hill to climb for the Counties even with the “Star of Stevenage”, Fred Filby, enjoying the after lunch fare provided by Southport & Formby QL.

The “Battle of the Blues” in Cambridge went the way of the visitors in what was a tighter game than the result might suggest as their winning margin was somewhat inflated by a last round of which the Light Blues will not want to be reminded. Having struggled for two point answers this season, will be cheered to hear that their 14 was the best of the day though this tally was greatly enhanced as Mike Billson enjoyed the No. 2 slot and took seven of his own questions.

The early promise which the genial and hospitable Beds. & Herts team showed before the midwinter break seems to be fading. Once again Oxford look likely to provide London’s only serious challenge and the trip by the four born-and -bred Londoners to the dreaming spires on 22nd Feb looks likely to provide one of those key matches. London do not have a great record travelling up the Thames Valley and a lot of people will be behind Oxford who do not see this competition as a lost cause and are very keen to loosen the grip which London seems to have on the Trophy.

London	40	(Robert Willer 15; Mick Lancaster 12; Brian Wright 12)
Beds & Herts	30	(Fred Filby 17)

Cambridge	30	(Andrew Frazer 14)
Oxford	42	(Mike Billson 20, Roger Mortimore 16)

ROUND SEVEN -MIKE TAKES OXFORD INTO THE LEAD

A storming performance from Mike Billson, who became only the second player in the history of this competition to “go through the card” on his own eight questions, was instrumental in helping Oxford nosing into the lead on the final bend of this year’s championship. With a huge contribution additionally from Roger Mortimore, the inspiration behind this now settled team, Oxford will be hoping that the next name on the trophy will be theirs and for the first time ever. London, who have slipped up before in Oxford, found being the away side hard this round with only Robert Willer coping; though his admirable five hit was rather upstaged.

Back in London, the home side found the going easier also as the Masterminders fired on all four cylinders to win by a country mile against the Counties. Gavin and Bob each had a five hit and Howard Pizzey and Paul Webbewood were each only one point away from being “mentioned in despatches”.

The start of the season prediction suggested that Londonwould face a difficult task in retaining their title and it has proved so. They now have to see off Mastermind Club on 14th March and hope that their rivals fall at the last fence against the Counties on 28th March to keep the Cup, but it is looking increasingly likely that new faces will be the South’s representatives against the North this summer.

Oxford	48	(Mike Billson 21 (inc "Full House")Roger Mortimore 17)
London	34	(Robert Willer 15)

Mastermind Club	48	(Gavin Fuller 18,Bob Jones 12)
Beds & Herts	30	(Fred Filby 14)

ROUND EIGHT - OXFORD SLIP LETS LONDON IN

Sunday 28th March 2004 was not a good day for Oxford, either on the Thames or in the rural quiet of Bedfordshire. The rowing eight, having challenged early on, had a mishap and trailed thereafter but never gave up. The quizzing four came across a very combative and settled Counties side, suffered a major set back in Round Two where they failed to trouble the scorer, fought back to trail by only one point at half time, slipped into a six point deficit in the next two rounds but, like the oarsmen, never saw the contest as a lost cause and only lost by the narrowest of margins.

Things were just as competitive in Cambridge, where both sides were determine not to end up with the wooden spoon. The visitors lost the first two rounds, pulled back to 13 apiece by the end of Round Three only to concede a 7-3 score in Round Four. The second half was all theirs however and Gavin and Paul’s contribution to the 8-1 win in Round Six probably clinched the match.

A terrific end to a great season’s quizzing at this level with two wonderful examples of matches in a Mind Sport. The result leaves London on top of the table and congratulations to them for having done just enough to retain the trophy. Their skipper, Robert Willer, acknowledging his side’s good fortune, said: “Had I been a betting man, I would have put money on Oxford to win the Cup.” Sadly for Roger and his regulars, things did not work out that way. London will once more represent the south against the north’s champions, Wirral, at the Team Quiz Festival in June. It is to be hoped that the Oxford side will also be there to show what might have happened had a season of fluctuating fortunes ended with them in front. Perhaps it would be an occasion also for London to buy a drink for that hospitable gang from Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire!

**Final League Table 2003-2004**
TEAMS	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	2’s	Points
London	8	5	1	2	103	11
Oxford	8	5	0	3	83	10
Beds & Herts	8	4	0	4	80	8
Mastermind Club	8	3	0	5	100	6
Cambridge	8	2	1	5	79	5

PRIOR SEASON

PRESIDENT'S CUP 2002/3

FINAL POSITIONS

TEAM	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	2's	Points
LONDON	8	6	0	2	116	12
OXFORD	8	5	1	2	75	11
MASTERMIND CLUB	8	4	0	4	80	8
CAMBRIDGE	8	3	0	5	93	6
BEDS & HERTS	8	1	1	6	68	3

London retained the President's Cup
The London team were worthy representatives of the South at the National Team Quiz Festival at the Islington Thistle Hotel on Saturday 7th June 2003 beating Southport & Formby to retain the Don Bisset Cup.