AFTER a brief respite of four weeks, the county’s quizzers resumed hostilities last Thursday at the opening event of the 2012 Oxfordshire Summer Quiz League.

A far slimmer version of the Winter campaign, 11 teams participate in two sections, Premier and One, playing 12 league matches and six Tabletops. It was at one of the latter, hosted by Kidlington Green Social Club, that we gathered last week.

The theme for the evening was ‘Entertainment’, and resulted in a narrow win for the Plough (Wolvercote), prevailing by two points over the Ploughman’s Bunch. In case you thought a new pub had opened up in the county, which would be a rare feat indeed, this lot are in fact the former Six Bells, Headington.

Homeless, they have engaged in a groundshare with the Plough. Initially, they renamed themselves with the incredibly unimaginative title, the Ploughsharers, but this was summarily rejected, hence this updated moniker.

Anyway, good luck to them in their new abode, and many thanks to Tim the landlord (and ecstatic Chelsea supporter – and yes he was in Munich), for agreeing to take them on.

This week witnesses the commencement of league fixtures. Last summer’s champions, the Plough, open their defence of the Premier Division crown with a home tie against those wily old foxes, the Seacourt Bridge (Botley), while reigning Division One titleholders, the North Oxford Conservative Club (that’s my lot), don’t play anyone – we have a bye.

The most intriguing clash of the night looks like being the match up between the hugely improved Green Road Club (Kidlington) and the Ploughman’s Bunch, although I sniff a potential upset at the Chester Arms (East Oxford) where the hosts, and winter season supremos, take on that canny outfit from Eynsham, the White Hart. Completing the preview, the Black Swan (East Oxford) will entertain the Black’s Head (Bletchingdon) while in Begbroke, the Royal Sun take on their old adversaries, the Gardener’s Arms (North Parade).

Good luck to all teams, and many thanks to the Oxford Mail for the coverage they allow us, both in the newspaper and on the website, and also for kindly agreeing to sponsor our trophies and medals for this season.