Shipwrecks Win Early Skirmish

Shipwrecks notched up their first victory of the new Midweek League campaign when they overcame the Burgh Boys on Tuesday. It was a pleasant during a temporary outburst of fine weather - so much so that it was no longer necessary to use a boat to reach Kingholm 2, which had virtually dried out apart from a few remaining mudflats.  The boundary was however curtailed by an abandoned earthworks in memory of St Michael's former ground at the allotment end.

Following a revolutionary putsch a la "Battleship Potemkin", no-one knows who the team captain is so Ally McEwen was dispatched by the Revolutionary Council to make the toss.  Whatever the result, Burgh Boys' fleet of Collingwoods and Flacks ended up batting first. Peter Harrison opened up with a couple of shipshape, nifty overs and claimed an early wicket as did Alastair McEwen when Henderson edged to give Kelvin Maxwell his first ever catch behind the sticks. 

Mystery bowler Sarosh, floating the ball down from half-mast height, tricked Ben Flack into a false shot which Taylor picked out of the air at gulley to put Burgh Boys in some trouble. Victor Collingwood and Carmichael steadied the ship for a time until Maxwell hung on to another fine edge off Sarosh to the amazement of the fielding team.

Aiden Collingwood took a swipe at one of Dean's juicy spinners but Harrison took a fine low catch at wide mid-on and Taylor, switching ends at last found some aerial movement to dismiss V. Collingwood and

McCuaig and Dean -
the winning partnership

Flack in successive balls. McEwen and Harrison returned to finish the innings off on 58.

Tight bowling by Ben Flack and Aiden Collingwood meant Worthington and Oates were under the weather for a while but both batted sensibly and picked up runs steadily.  Worthington was relieved by McCuaig after being bowled by Collingwood, and the new batsman put together a steady shift to hold the innings together with 13 not out.  After being hit in the chest by a riser from Flack, Oates connected with a couple of characteristic shots and Harrison followed him with some classy efforts before trying to launch V. Collingwood into the heavens and missing.

It was then left to Geoff Dean to finish an enjoyable encounter by hoisting a lofty blow up the embankment in the fourteenth over, after which he quickly removed the stumps in celebration (see above).

Scores: Burgh Boys 58 all out (V. Collingwood 19, Carmichael 11 ; McEwen 3-9, Harrison 2-6, Sarosh 2-8, Taylor 2-23) : Shipwrecks 62 -3 (McCuaig 13 not out, Oates 13, Harrison 11, Dean 10 not out)