News & Views: 2023–4 Season – Cup Final – 30 April 2024

Poachers vs. Queens of the Castle

The Poachers won the toss and chose to go first.

The aggregate score this year was the highest on record – one point more than in 2014–15, when Waters Green Rams beat the Weaver by 116 points to 109. This year, 110 of the 120 questions were answered correctly for two points; six were answered on pass–overs (three by each team) and only four defeated both teams.

The first of those four was the Queens' second question. The Queens were also stumped by their fourth, and this time the Poachers picked up a bonus point to take a lead of 9 points to 4. They maintained that five–point lead to the end of Round 1, as all twelve remaining questions were answered correctly for two points.

In Round 2 the Queens picked up a bonus point on the first question, but neither team could answer Question 40. In Round 3, the Poachers answered all their questions correctly and picked up two more bonus points, to win the round 22–16 and take a 10–point lead into the half–time beer break (61–51).

Rounds 4 and 5 were both tied – both teams scoring a full house in Round 4, and one question on either side going unanswered in Round 5. So going into the final round, the Poachers were still ten points ahead (99–89).

In the early stages of Round 6 it appeared that an unlikely comeback might be on the cards, as the Queens picked up two bonus points in the first seven questions to reduce the deficit to five points. But the remaining thirteen troubled neither team, and the Poachers ran out worthy winners by 115 points to 111. In doing so, they gained revenge for their defeats in the last two Cup Finals (it would be remiss not to mention it!).

There was a good attendance despite the Northern Premier League play–off semi–final being contested on the other side of town. The promised sandwiches did materialise, and although it looked at one point as if our hosts at the Pack Horse Bowling Club may have over–catered, I think we managed to do full justice to them by the end of the evening.

In case you were wondering: the Silkmen won 3–1, to proceed to the final next Monday when the visitors at the Moss Rose will be Marine FC.

Questions

The following questions were not answered by either team:

4	Which company was founded in 1994 as Cadabra, before changing to its current name a few months later?
	Amazon
40	From 1 January this year, how much does it cost to have your green waste bin emptied by Cheshire East Council via their annual subscription scheme? (No leeway)
	£56
94	Which country is known as "the Pearl of Africa", a phrase attributed to Winston Churchill?
	Uganda
97	Taylor Swift fans have been flocking to a London pub that gets a namecheck on her new album. What is the pub called?
	The Black Dog

The following questions were answered on a pass–over (even numbers by the Poachers, odd numbers by the Queens):

8	In the human brain, what is the occipital lobe primarily responsible for?
	Vision (or eyesight)
21	In what year was the first Apple iPhone released? (No leeway)
	2007
42	Which Saudi Arabian football club does Cristiano Ronaldo currently play for?
	Al Nassr
58	Who is the drummer and sole continuous member of the band (The) Eagles?
	Don Henley
103	Who was President of Zimbabwe before Robert Mugabe, serving as such between 1980 and 1987?
	Canaan Banana
107	"I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey ... " is the narrator's opening line to which 1975 cult film?
	The Rocky Horror Picture Show

For all the night's questions, click here.

Thanks to all teams that submitted questions, and to the Nags Head 'B' for compiling the final set. Special thanks to Mark Watson and Steve Carter, for asking the questions and scoring respectively, with great skill and humour in each case. Previous marriages were only mentioned ... well, was anyone counting?

© Macclesfield Quiz League 2024