WIST Champions Cup Semi Final
Smart Alex beat Alexandra
A comfortable win for Smart Alex in the Edgeley derby tie
Happy
Greg reports from his victory rostrum
We were honoured to have the paper delivered and read by Lord Bath. He seems to like the Alexandra so much that he had his tea there. However, his meal was somewhat ill-timed because it arrived at the exact moment that he started reading the paper. Since the Stockport style questions are rapid-fire, it meant he didn't have much time to digest his scran. Despite this handicap, he did a sterling job.
The match was a good-natured tussle against our stablemates, the Alexandra.
I was happy to see two questions on the Gorton and Denton by-election, since I've either lived in, or worked within, all of its neighbourhoods. I had inside knowledge of the name of the Reform candidate because Rob Ford on my Ethel Rodin team co-authored a book with him many moons ago, although he has since disavowed that connection.
My nomination for QotW is the one about the second-hand Nobel Literature prize. Neither team got it but it was a gem that we weren't aware of.
We will meet Albert in the final, where I'll be playing against Ashton, my team mate in the Macc league.
Scoring the same
(R2/Q4&5)
QM
Mike was on hand to savour the atmosphere
In the end the Smarter of the two Alexes lived up to their name and coasted home by 12 points. In truth it was Round 3, the first of the WithQuiz rounds with the classic film run-ons, that clinched it for Smart Alex with an 8 - 1 advantage.
As ever it was a game full of courtesy and friendship in the archetypical neighbourhood boozer that is Edgeley's gem, tucked into the cosy terraced houses close to Stockport County's stadium. The Alexandra looks like it has been there since the houses were built, loyally serving the needs of the local population down the generations: Robbie's beer, indoor games, local trysts, the occasional punch-up (no doubt) and, for at least a few decades, those odd guys who occupy the little back room every winter Thursday to play quizzes. The back room has been largely unchanged down the years barring an enormous TV broadcasting 'big fish' after 'big fish' (R2/Q3) in this week's World Darts, and some newish lights which I was informed now enable the QM to actually see the quiz paper.
Nobel Bonger
(R1/Q4)
Last night the line-up was Roddy, Andrea, George and Greg for Smart Alex with Mike, Barry, Derek and Rob for the more traditionally sounding Alex. I had the honour of QMing and was doing fine until a rogue chip from the tasty Athena Wrap I'd ordered for supper decided to lodge itself in my throat. The two teams allowed a respectful pause while I choked to death (almost) and then off we went again.
Finally, never mind Smart Alex, there was one significant victory that the two Mikes in the room relished: towards the end of the evening news came through that Arsenal had only managed a draw against Brentford - so down in deepest Edgeley everyone's a winner!
Schoolmates
(R1/Q19)
Ex-QM
Mike offers a searing assessment of Eveline in the
role
Kieran
has a few brief words
A
passing drinker comments
