Merry Christmas!

A Merry Christmas to all those in peril on the sea!

For your New Year's Resolution, how about making a firm commitment to recruit at least one new player under the age of 25 - oh, alright - 50?

Remember when?

Riverside on Facebook

As there are no current cricket reports or shipping forecasts, you might like to note that Anne has launched a Facebook page for the Riverside: http://www.facebook.com/TheRiversideBarDumfries

AGM Logbook

In the absence of any sort of coherent minutes from the above event, the following jottings may serve as some kind of steer on the course of events.

There were no apologies for absence nor indeed for being there.

Skipper Alasdair McEwan delivered an impassioned motivational speech to the assembled crew, of which the key points were:

• Shipwrecks enjoyed a successful season in which we achieved third place in Division II and got through to the Plate semi-final, the away League victory at Lockerbie being a red letter day.
  
• However as last season there was an albatross round our necks in the shape of the Healthpros against whom revenge was duly sworn.
  
• Honourable mentions in despatches went to Colin Taylor and Mike Service for their contributions to the arts of bowling and batting respectively.
  
• Having piloted the Shipwrecks through murky waters for several seasons, he however felt it was time to cut and run in favour of a new figure-head.

Head Purser Geoff Dean revealed that he had a reasonable sum of money stuffed down his hammock (subject to forthcoming voyage to Indian Restaurant).

Radio Officer Colin Taylor transmitted the fact that GCHQ had collected metadata on over 6,800 blog hits, with an average of 30 - 50 per post over the past twelve nautical months.

The following officers were elected unopposed:

Skipper: Donald McCuaig

Bosun: Davey Fallas

Purser and Quartermaster: Geoff Dean

Communications Officer: Geoff Dean/Colin Taylor

Following a comprehensive kit sponsorship deal agreed with Ann Magee of the Riverside Bar we sail next season under the flag of convenience "Riverside Shipwrecks".

A tour was again discussed.  Will it happen? Of course not.

Also discussed were a pre-season training session and friendlies against St Michael's and Thornhill CC. Will they happen?  No, but more likely than tour.

AGM Decisions

Shipwrecks AGM was held at the Riverside, Dumfries last Friday, when after a fine address by departing Skipper Alasdair McEwan, a number of crucial and dynamic decisions were taken.

It was possible to action several of them that very evening, as can be seen from the completion list below:

AGM Agenda - Urgent Despatch from Fleet Commander

Hers is the agenda for tomorrow's AGM:

See you all on board!

Close Encounter of the Third Kind

After two close battles with the Healthpros in the League resulting in losses, the Shipwrecks hoped to reverse their fortunes with an act of piracy  in the Fosters Plate Semi Final at the Kingholm on Thursday. On winning the toss, Sub Lieutenant Donald McCuaig won the toss and elected to bowl, play finally commencing late after various delays in sailing.

Shipwrecks battle ploy was to hold their fire by not launching raw pace bowler Derek "Shabba" Rankine until the Healthpros middle order entered the fray, Petty Officers Colin Taylor and Jason Hall being promoted to open the attack. The idea was to stall the opponents' innings by not taking early wickets.

Unfortunately neither bowler had read the script. Taylor bowled Wilson and had Venkat stumped in his second over and Hall bowled Laurie for one. By the time Taylor bowled Williams, Rankine had been introduced to deal with the fleet of Strachans approaching over the horizon. In fact it was Davey Fallas who bowled Fraser Strachan in full tilt and it took a strange run out late in the piece to eliminate David Strachan after he collided with John Mutthiah and both players hit the deck half way down the wicket.

Mutthiah managed to hold the stern together before he was last man out in the last over, lbw to Andy Cameron.  In spite of his salvage operation, the Healthpros only managed 79 all out and the Shipwrecks were already eying up the booty.

However the latter stages of the Cup competitions are often aversely affected by the darkness plus the lack of a lighthouse on the Nith, and unfortunately that is what happened on Thursday. Sid Oates and Mike Service made an unfortunately slow start and only 19 runs were collected in a becalmed first eight overs, Oates having been bowled for 1 by Fraser Strachan in the seventh.

Twilight Post-Mortem

Service and Geoff Dean gave the innings some impetus but when Service retired, Davey Fallas missed out for once and was scuppered by a straight one from Williams. Bad luck then started to intervene when Hall hit his second delivery hard but straight to short mid on. Once Dean was bowled for a boundaryless 11 and Mike Lumb succumbed for 2, Rankine and Taylor needed 20 off the last four overs, scratching about in increasingly difficult light.  Neither could reach the boundary and Shipwrecks eventually fell tantalisingly short  by just 4 runs after a last over collapse.

So dreams of cup glory are put aside for another tide and, with no tour or friendlies lined up, there is only the so-called AGM at the Captain's Table to look forward to.

Joint Men of the Match were Mike Service for his solo batting effort and Colin Taylor for his three wickets.

Scores: Healthpros 79 all out (D Strachan 24, F Strachan 15, Mutthiah 14 ; Taylor 3-18) : Shipwrecks 75 - 7 (Service 25 n.o., Dean 11 ; Williams 3-13, K Strachan 2-3)

Last League Outing

Shipwrecks won their last Midweek League fixture of the season against J. Walker & Son (St Michael's Youth) at Kingholm 1 on Thursday, though the margin of victory was much tighter than in the previous encounter. Under sunny skies, Skipper Alasdair McEwan took the opportunity to bat first over the excellent outfield, where the ball now runs like water instead of into it.

Lamb to Dean

Geoff Dean once again missed out on the spoils, unwisely picking out Saints pro Thapar at point with an airy offside slash, and McCuaig soon followed him to the pavilion, bowled by Lamb for a duck. But Mike Service was in excellent form and played some some class shots to previously unexploited areas of the compass while Davey Fallas slogged away merrily. The result was that the scoreboard chugged round at a rate of knots that was maintained with the arrival of Derek Rankine after Service was bowled for 21 and over 90 runs were chalked up by the halfway point. 

Progress understandably slowed somewhat when "Old Man Of The Sea" Colin Taylor replaced the retiring Fallas.  Rankine was bowled by Thapar immediately after hitting him onto the rigging of the practice nets, but tailenders Pater Connor and Jim Worthington provided useful support and, following two overthrows off the last delivery, prodded by Taylor to short mid off for a chancy single, the innings closed on reassuring 130 for 6.

The youngsters were not about to collapse however and opener Dylan Muir took on the Shipwrecks' bowling attack with a series of aggressive shots upstream while little Adam Malik performed a credible Boycott imitation at the other end as he stood firm on the burning deck.

Once Muir had retired, Andy Cameron produced a couple of key wickets when he bowled opposing skipper Geddes and shortly after had the padless Greaves taken by Taylor, tottering to his right at

Derek Rankine In Full Battle Dress

point. This reduced the J. Walker scoring potential considerably. Even though slapper Ricky Thapar sent several deliveries toward the horizon for a lightning retiral, 30 runs were still needed with two overs to go and although Ross Lamb made a go of it against the returning Rnkine, they were still 15 short by the end of hostilities.

It was notable however that the margin of victory would have been much smaller but for the number of Extras scored.  In spite of this, the Shipwrecks' Man of the Match Award was won by Derek "Shabba Rankine" for his solid 23 and vital bowling at the death.

Meanwhile all shore leave has been cancelled next week, when the Shipwrecks meet the Healthpros yet again, this time in the Fosters Plate semi-final.

Scores: Shipwrecks 130 for 6 (Fallas 27 retd, Rankine 23, Service 21,Taylor 21 n.o. ; Greaves 2-35) : J.Walker & Sons 115 for 7 (Thapar 28 retd., Muir 27 retd., Lamb 12 n.o., Malik 11 retd, Geddes 10 ; Cameron 2-24)

Another Engine Failure

Fortunes can change suddenly at sea and so it was that the Shipwrecks' Batting, which purred so sweetly at Lockerbie last week, fell victim to a major engine room failure against the Healthpros at Kingholm 2 on Thursday.

After a heavy downpour on the Solway Coast, prospects of play seemed dubious.  At the pitch inspection the Healthpros, who only had six players present, were convinced that the deck was unplayable, whereas the Shipwrecks, who had ten, were certain that it was. Play eventually got underway around 6.45 pm, by which time the Healthpros had also multiplied to ten including women and children.

Vice Skipper Donald McCuaig won the toss for Shipwrecks and elected to bat.

After the storm and before the deluge - Strachan to Oates

A reasonable launch produced 17 runs off three overs, but Mike Service and Sid Oates were then caught in successive overs from Williams and Fraser Strachan, who injected some pace into the Healthpros' attack.

Good wicketkeepers are a vital part of any equipage, as was soon proved when Lawrie stood up to stump Geoff Dean, whose back leg was still rehearsing the hornpipe. Colin Taylor then called McCuaig for a foolish run and Derek Rankine also fell victim to a Lawrie stumping after advancing far down the afterdeck.

From then on it was survival mode as Taylor battened down the hatches and the remaining crew battled the elements. The only highlights were a four for Mike Lumb and Danny McBryde finally getting a couple with his ludicrous backhand shot as the Shipwrecks could only salvage 67 for 8 from the wreckage (Extras 19).

However Derek Rankine quickly bowled Lawrie and dismissed Sue Strachan with a painful played-on next ball. When Taylor bowled Wilson in the second over to make it 4 for 3 with runs hard to come by, another turnaround looked on the cards.

But three boundaries from David Strachan and a solid supporting innings from Williams more or less put the Healthpros out of sight. Wickets from Andy Cameron, Taylor and Geoff "Shiver me Timbers" Dean kept hopes alive until the Doctors' last original batting pair politely terminated the consultation.

A disappointing battle for the mariners - but at least one that maintained the tension right through.

Shipwrecks Man of the Match was Extras - hard luck again on Derek "Shabba" Rankine for his excellent bowling.

Scores: Shipwrecks 67 – 8 (D. Strachan 2-5, Williams 2-13, Mutthiah 2-17) : Healthpros 68 – 7 (D. Strachan 26 ret, Williams 16 n.o. ; Rankine 2-6, Taylor 2-10)

Every Man Does His Duty

10-man Shipwrecks outmanoeuvred Lockerbie with an excellent away victory on Thursday after an encounter featuring slightly weakened crews on both sides.

After a brief squall that livened up the pitch, returning skipper Alasdair McEwan won the toss and chose to bat.  After a quiet first over, Sid Oates and Danny McBryde, who hit three successive 4s, avoided the calm waters, accelerating to 30-2 by the time Oates was bowled off the first ball of the fifth over - possibly the best start Shipwrecks have had all season.

Called up almost simultaeneously, Davey Fallas and Mike "Senior" Service were soon in full attacking mode, both retiring on 25, Service having improved noticeably his charting of the fuller delivery. With the score already approaching 100, Jason Hall followed on at only slightly reduced revs and it was only unfortunate that his retiral coincided with an exhausted Taylor's run out. But once again, the tail (Jim Worthington and Mike Lumb) wagged and the ship's cat was smiling on a total of 144 after the 20 overs.

On the resumption of hostilities however, there was a feel of deja vu from previous humiliations as Carpenter and Ross Crawford plundered runs all over the place as the ageing argonauts again fumbled in the field. After five overs, Lockerbie were well ahead of the required rate, but at this point fortunes changed.

Mike Lumb Celebrates
His Three Dismissals

Looking to nail a last boundary, Carpenter missed and was bowled by Hall and McEwan responded by taking an excellent return catch to eliminate Crawford in his last over. McEwan was replaced by Colin Taylor, who sought to exploit a sporty breeze off the dogger bank.  In his first over he had Gracie neatly stumped down the leg side by Lumb.  In his second he crucially had Andy Veitch brilliantly taken by Worthington at mid off on the drive, then got one to move off the deck to have Stephenson caught behind by Lumb. After a neat run out by Danny McBryde to remove Dawson, Taylor struck again to bowl Rogerson with a curve ball before Lumb completed his third dismissal and Taylor's five-for when he took another good catch off Harris.

The Lockerbie innings had effectively been torn asunder and Fallas and Worthington picked up the last couple of wickets, dismissing the home side for 95 at the start of the last over.

Overall this was also an excellent performance in the batting and eventually the fielding departments. To avoid more painful pictures of Taylor, Skipper McEwan announce that the Man of The Match Award should be shared by the whole team as everyone had contributed to an excellent win.

Today's result by some accounts means that Shipwrecks have also outflanked Lockerbie at the top of the Division 2 League Table, so that they are now in serious danger of being promoted beyond their level of competence. Hopefully there will be some sort of nautical disaster  or seafaring catastrophe to help them avert this fate.

Scores: Shipwrecks 144 - 7 (Fallas 25 ret, Service 25 ret, Hall 25 ret, McBryde 13, Oates 10, Taylor 10 ; Gracie 2-36) : Lockerbie 95 all out (Carpenter 23, R. Crawford 12 ; Taylor 5-10)

A Happy Crew

Shipwrecks Run Out Of Steam

The Shipwrecks went down in a catamaran-style League and Cup Double at Kingholm 2 on Thursday, in what however turned out to be a close and well-contested skirmish. Unfortunately holidays etc had deprived the Sailors of four key players, most notably bowlers Cameron and Skipper McEwan.

Captain Lieutenant McCuaig standing in lost the toss and was thankful to be invited to bat as several of the team only made it out of their bunks in the nick of time.  As is often the case with large ocean-going vessels, the openers were slow to haul away from dock, but Sid Oates and Jim Worthington hung around for seven overs and batted quite well, also benefitting from the large number of wides on offer to take the score to 28 for the first wicket.

After Oates decided it was time for a howk, McCuaig started his captain's innings with a nice straight four but, when Worthington picked out the wrong fielder (Forsyth) with a drive and the Skipper was also caught to make it 59-3, the effort began to go a little awry.  Hall was adjudged lbw to one that might have been drifting to port and Peter Cooper fired his first ball straight to Sam Thornley who did really well to cling on.

Mike Service batted well but could only manage one four before he was also caught off the Colts' pro Forsyth.  Possibly taking over the wheel a little late, Davey Fallas provided the usual flurry of activity on deck but was restricted to 16 not out, which plus the usual scratching around at the end of innings and a nice four from Lumb, moved the final acore on to 98-9 after a last ball run out.

As the dull weather improved marginally, makeshift opening bowlers Taylor and Hall did a reasonable job of battening down the hatches in the first eight overs and between them accounted for openers Gordon and Currie. Lewis was smartly run out by Cooper and it looked like the sea gods might be favouring the Shipwrecks when, in his last over, Hall accidentally diverted a well-struck ball to run a stranded S. Thornley out at the bowler's end.

However, Forsyth made the expected maximum with ease after one narrow squeak and a third run out (yes three in the same innings!) by Taylor may have been a tactical error as the victim was the youngest cabin boy on the pitch, T. Currie, who was defending solidly but showed little sign of being able to reach the boundary rope.

When Davey Fallas bowled Keith Walker for a duck, the odds were still acceptable with only two wickets needed for victory, but the 'Wrecks were now out of established bowlers and, in spite of one respectable over from Worthington,  the Colts eventually had a clear run in to the finish line in the 19th over.

Scores: Shipwrecks 98 – 9 (Fallas 16 n.o., Service 14 n.o., Oates 10 ; K. Walker 3-18) : Dumfries Colts 99-8 (Forsyth 26 ret, Gordon 17, R. Thornley 12 n.o.)

Shipwrecks Weather The Storm

Shipwrecks got underway again with a second victory over Burgh Boys at Kingholm 2 on Thursday, their first game for three weeks.

A pause in the cup schedule had been compounded by a misreading of the tide charts, so that the 'Wrecks and Dumfries Colts were expecting to play each other on different days.  To be fair the Midweek League Fixture list stated that the game should have been played on Wednesday 25th June (which was a Thursday) - so the mix-up was to be understood.

This Thursday's teams gathered under the trees shortly after 6.00 p.m. as a southerly gale blew swept across the Kingholm from the Azores.  Fainter hearts would have headed for port, but a brief interlude in the downpour allowed play to commence at approximately 6.40, after Vice Captain Donald McCuaig rather hesitantly opted to bat.

This had the advantage that most of the team were still in hiding when the downpour resumed, but those on deck fared less well and in a fit of bravado, Shipwrecks lost Oates, Service, McCuaig, Dean and McBryde for a paltry 28.

After the Rain - Team Conference

Fortunately these had been made at the double so Davey Fallas and Derek Rankine were able to consolidate with a more selective approach but continued the required amount of big hits.  With not too much help from the lower order excepting Connor, Shipwrecks just managed to survive the voyage, and when Rankine brought up his retirement off the very last ball of the innings, the total had raced on to 121 - 9.

By now the sun stood fair in the sky, but it was always hard to see how this total could be reached using a ball that had gone from slippery to soaked and on an outfield still throwing up plumes of spray.

Early overs were uneventful until McCuaig turned to spin and Davey Fallas soon captured Edgar caught and bowled.  BB Skipper Collingwood was then surprised by a nifty throw by Service to be run out while still feathering his paddle.  Key moments then occurred when Rankine bowled S. Flack for 13 and F. Flack, on 10, edged to short third man, effectively ending the Burgh Boys' fire power.

Taylor - Naffest Selfie?

Fallas picked up two further wickets before old hand Colin Taylor was teleported back 25 years to eliminate B. Flack with a surprisingly sharp catch off his second ball.  Taylor went on to capture the wickets of various still arriving Burgh Boys, ending with the returning V. Collingwood, who was nicely taken by Cameron at wide slip to conclude the innings in the nineteenth over.

Taylor claimed the Man of the Match with  his 4-10 and also the Naffest Selfie Of The Season So Far Award.

Scores:  Shipwrecks 121 – 9 (Fallas 27 ret, Rankine 25 ret, Connor 10 ; F. Flack 3-20, V. Collingwood 2-15, A. Collingwood 2-17) : Burgh Boys 68 all out (S. Flack 13, A Carmichael 10 ; C Taylor 4-10, D Fallas 3-22)

Lost at Lockerbie

Shipwrecks went down in their first Sulwath Trophy Cup fixture at Lockerbie on Thursday in spite of posting a fair 131 after winning the toss and deciding to bat first.  This was a good toss to win for Skipper McEwan as heavy coastal traffic round the Dumfries bypass meant that many hands were delayed and arrived like flotsam at various stages during the innings.

After Sid Oates and Donald McCuaig were out trying to force the pace, a substantial partnership was established by Mike Service and Geoff Dean, who took the score into the eighties with some good aggressive play.  Both reached the compulsory retirement, Dean with a thumping six to record 29.

Mike Service eyes up a ball from Rogerson

After that point though wickets fell regularly. Davey Fallas was bowled for 11 taking a huge swipe at Stephenson, while Colin Taylor was run out by a sharp throw from third man next ball.  Some forward momentum was continued by Jason Hall, however, with McEwan and Worthington chipping in to take Shipwrecks to 131 - 9.

In tremendous weather with fast outfield conditions, the total was never insurmountable and the absence of leading seaman Derek Rankine meant that the bowling attack was missing its main anchor.

It began well enough when Fallas bowled Crawford in the second over but the improving Naysmith batted impressively with Carpenter - unfortunately only after Carpenter had shaved one to wicketkeeper Mike Lumb and declined the invitation to walk the plank.

Toiling in the heat, it was the Shipwrecks' fielding that ultimately let them down as catches went down, balls were fumbled and run outs missed.  The tiring oldsters were eventually reduced to lumbering around like unmanoeuvrable Spanish galleons as the opposition stole innumerable cheeky runs and only one more wicket fell as Lockerbie romped home with overs to spare.

Shipwrecks Man of the Match was Geoff Dean for his 29 n.o. after a traumatic journey.

Scores: Shipwrecks 131 - 9 (Dean 29 ret., Service 25 ret., Hall 19 n.o., Fallas 11 ; Dawson 2-14) : Lockerbie 132 - 5 (Gracie 27 ret., Naysmith 25 ret., Carpenter 25 ret., A. Veitch 19, D. Veitch 17 n.o.)

Shipwrecks Cruise to Victory

Shipwrecks met St Michael's Cadets (inappropriately sponsored by scrap merchant J. Walker & Son) at Kingholm 1 on Thursday.  For the first time the weather was fine and fair - enough to feel comfortable in the covers without donning a sou'wester.

Home Skipper Geddes won the toss and elected to bat on the artificial, reinforced by the return of professional sailor Rohin Thapar from the East India Company. But the youngsters were soon under heavy seas when Rankine and McEwan bowled Muir and Malik for early ducks. Unlike other pros observed locally, Thapar selflessly refrained from launching every ball over the boundary and hung around encouraging the youngsters to find their sea legs before retiring on 28. Unfortunately just Geddes could respond to the call, playing some nice cuts to starboard in his 25. Only Ryan Geddes and Levi White managed to contribute further runs to the wides allocation.

Howzat?! - Umpire McNay Looks Away

Derek "Shabba" Rankine bowled with commendable accuracy as did Alasdair McEwan, who produced his best spell of the season against the better batting. A notable addition to the fighting force was newcomer Peter Connor, who bowls and also fields at a higher pace than most of the old lags.  Later on Cameron, Taylor amd Hall produced stingy spells to restrict the J Walker & Son innings to 73.

In contrast to the swamp encountered in 2012, the Kingholm outfield is starting to ressemble a golf green, so it was relatively plain sailing for Shipwrecks to overhaul this target - but only after negotiating the impressive opening partnership of Fraser Jack and White, who bowled Service for 3 and accounted for Dean as he looked for a big finish.  After Davey Fallas hat put together a cool 25 retired against his St Michael's coachees, Hall and Taylor steered the Shipwrecks home.

Good news onshore for Shipwrecks is the launch of Bar Milan just downstream of our former haunt, The Ship Inn, which appears to spend a long time in dry dock waiting for a rich buyer.

Scores: J Walker & Sons 73 - 9 (Thapar 28 ret, A. Geddes 25 ret ; Connor 2-10, Rankine 2-21) : Shipwrecks 80 - 3 (Fallas 25 ret, Dean 24, Hall 14 n.o. ; White 2-25). Shipwrecks won by 7 wickets and 7 runs.

Shipwrecks Founder In The Darkness

Shipwrecks were left wondering who killed the albatross after the Healthpros escaped with their lives in the recent encounter at Kingholm 2. For, after a creditable performance on being asked to field and restricting the Medics to 85, they were cursed with the luck of Jonah and fell short of the target by 12.

Healthpros made heavy weather of the early part of their innings, restricted by tight bowling from Alasdair McEwan and Derek Rankine who bowled Sue Strachan for 1. After experimenting with a couple of wides, Colin Taylor got one to nip away from David Hill, who fell victim to a sharp catch by Ship's Doctor Mike Lumb standing up behind the stumps. The old sea dog continued to make use of the leg cutter to bowl Thin and had Doig nicely taken on the run by Rankine off his last salvo. Meanwhile Peel was run out following some neat work by McCuaig and Lumb.

Unfortunately the tide of success slackened as two takeable chances were spilled and, crucially in an encounter that was to produce only four boundaries, Shipwrecks left too much space on deck and several unnecessary singles were pillaged by the Strachans (Sr and Jr) as the Healthpros probed their way to 85 for 7.

A few lusty sixes should have settled the affair, but a chill breeze sprung up from the Dogger Bank as the sky grew blacker than a pirate's eyepatch, producing enough bad light to stop three test matches.

Jim Worthington edged behind second ball and Mike Service was tied down by accurate bowling from Raj as the run rate stalled, eventually being bowled as he tried to break the shackles.  Geoff Dean literally lost his middle stump (it broke) first ball to one that kept low and after McCuaig was run out under pressure, Taylor fell to another deck scourer from Rayen.

Donald McCuaig On Strike Before The Blackness Descended

Some sort of partnership developed between Rankine and Jason Hall, who did well to see the ball, let alone hit it.  But when Hall was bowled by Mutthiah, the writing was on the wall.  The key sloggers fell as McEwan unluckily played on and Cameron edged straight to slip and Shipwrecks' luck was clearly at rock bottom when Mike Lumb hit a firm shot only to be magnifcently taken by a diving Mutthiah for 0.

By this time it was statistically impossible for Rankine to get the necessary runs because of the retiral rule barring a brainstorm from Worthington in his second coming for the absent McBryde.

The New Scorebook

The two did what they could in the last three overs but it was never going to be enough.

Hopefully the acquisition of a new logbook by Purser Dean will bring better luck, but on this showing, we'd do better to chuck it overboard on the next voyage.

In spite of Rankine's excellent 24 not out and two wickets, the Man of the Match went to Colin Taylor for his vintage bowling spell.

Scores: HealthPros 85 for 7 (F Strachan 25 ret, D Strachan 19 ; C Taylor 3-11, D Rankine 2-11) : Shipwrecks 73 for 9 (Rankine 24 n.o., Hall 16 ; R Shyam 3 for 8)

Shipwrecks' Service Successful

After a major overhaul in the engine room following the Nunholm slowdown, Shipwrecks' batting machine belched steam immediately to power ahead of a reasonable Lockerbie total by six wickets at the Kingholm on Thursday.

Invited to field on an overcast evening, the start was not promising as Shipwrecks leaked easy runs and missed run out opportunities before Alasdair McEwan bowled Carpenter with a slower one and got Naysmith, who was hitting the ball over the static field regularly, to tee one up for Fallas on the boundary.

The ball was swinging for bowlers from the estuary end for Chris Lumb to bowl Bray and Jason Hall to do the same for Dawson.  Andy Veitch was typically steering to leg but misjudged against Andy Cameron to lose his stumps. Meanwhile Shipwrecks had managed to stem the tide of runs from the other end so that Lockerbie were only in the mid seventies with five overs to go.  But Gracie hit three powerful sixes with support from Daniel Veitch once Hall had dismissed Jamie Crawford, and the visitors finally resurfaced at 118 - 6 after the twenty overs.

Mike Service

For Shipwrecks, Geoff Dean started on full throttle from the outset with boundaries square of the wicket and Mike Service soon accelerated with a couple of notably big sixes while Danny McBryde once again perfected his exhibition shot without managing to score any runs with it.  Both openers departed having reached retirement as did Davey Fallas after a typically brief voyage.  Others scratched around in the gathering gloom and swarms of midges but the powerful start meant few runs were needed in the last few overs and Jason Hall stayed on hand to draw the scores level before a final wide took Shipwrecks to victory.

Mike Service was nominated Man of the Match for his full on assault.

Scores: Lockerbie 118 – 6 (Gracie 25 ret, A Veitch 24, Naysmith 23, D Veitch 13 n.o. ; J Hall 2-15, A McEwan 2-19) : Shipwrecks 119 – 4 (Fallas 29 ret, Dean 25 ret, Service 25 ret ; Stevenson 2-9)

Geoff Dean  Hauls Off

Shipwrecks Suffer Engine Failure

Once again a lack of adequate charts is hampering the maintenance of the Ship's Log of the second half of Shipwrecks' latest voyage.  This time it had been supposed that Dumfries Colts were maintaining our scorebook, which proved to be not correct. Suffice it to say that Shipwrecks went down by about three wickets to the Colts after the batting acceleration achieved against Burgh Boys last week distinctly failed to kick in.

Slow progress was understandable at first as Mike Lumb and Danny McBryde faced an accurate attack from Sam Thornley and Nunholm's unknown Aussie Pro. During this phase the most notable event was the invention of a new defensive shot to the leg-side wide by McBryde, unfortunately for no runs.

Definitely Not in the Coaching Manual - Danny's New Shot

Both openers were eventually bowled trying to get a head of steam up, Lumb playing on unluckily from well wide of the stumps. Donald McCuaig then played some neat shots in his not out but could not reach the boundary while Alex Taylor, looking seriously out of form against the variable bowling, could not find his sea legs at all.  By the time the innings was half over, Shipwrecks were still foundering in the forties.

As the breeze turned even cooler Davey Fallas typically managed to dispatch a few salvos towards the Arctic Circle, but Shipwrecks failed to get their other hitters into battle early enough and finshed on 105 - 3, well short of par for the Nunholm course.

After a lively start Fallas broke through the Nunholm opening partnership, which however only brought unknown Aussie Pro to the crease to lash all bowlers unmercilesly around the ground for a high speed retiral.  From then on defeat looked the likeliest outcome but a couple of wickets from Andy Cameron brought the junior Colts up on deck and Shipwrecks were able to put the anchors on the run rate.

With Thornley still needing to wield the heavy blade, Colin Taylor's swing produced a couple more wickets and a run out in the last few overs to leave faint hopes of a miraculous rally.  He should have had a third when he induced a false shot from Thornley, only to spill the resulting gentle caught and bowled as the batsmen paddled home for the winning run.

Overall, not a good day in the wheel room for the Shipwrecks.

Incomplete Scores: Shipwrecks 105 – 3 (Fallas 27 ret., McCuaig 23 n.o., Lumb 18, McBryde 13) : Dumfries Colts  106 - 7 (C. Taylor 2-8)

Shipwrecks' Maiden Victory

The Shipwrecks charted their first victory of the 2015 season at a breezy Kingholm Park on Thursday evening. Victory came thanks to a hearty batting performance delivering 144 - 3, one of the highest Shipwrecks tallies since nautical records began.

Batting first, Mike Lumb and Donald McCuaig pirated four runs from the first over before the latter was bowled by a good'un from Aidan Collingwood, who then nearly disposed of Alex Taylor with a yorker.  Lumb and Taylor then built a steady partnership. Lumb looked increasingly in control and

Top Scorers - Lumb and Fallas

started to play some firm shots, finishing on 28 retired after a couple of late sixes. Struggling for form, Taylor adopted a "hit out or get out" policy and was obligingly dropped by the Burgh Boys half a dozen times before a catch finally stuck when he was on 23.

Both left the field in quick succession and, after Jason Hall departed early, there was still a need to increase the knots when Colin Taylor joined Davey Fallas with about six overs to come. Fortunately Fallas succeeding in propelling a typical series of missile launches on the legside before retiring and Mike "Senior" Service continued the assault, hitting his first ever six and following with another shortly afterwards.  Meanwhile elder Taylor scuttled round the decks in the normal manner for another not out.

At this point records of the conflict become hazy as we neglected to get a look at the Burgh Boys log book before they retreated sharply in the face of the chill wind after the game.

Shipwrecks fielding display did not start brilliantly when wicketkeeper Lumb was struck by friendly fire - a grenade lobbed by Taylor (Sr.) with untypical accuracy to hit him just above the left eye while he was arguing a point of naval etiquette with the umpire.

A notable asset in the covers was new recruit Nerea Ferrando, who was recently conscripted off the Spanish Main by deckhand Danny McBride. Nerea attacked every ball with gusto and impressed High Command with the power of her throwing, which nearly caused a run out. Suitably inspired, the old lags caught everything going including a nice take by Lumb standing up and seemingly unaffacted by his earlier wound apart from a bruise the size of a grapeshot.

Meanwhile some good accurate bowling, notably from Fallas and left-armers Andy Cameron and Hall meant Shipwrecks were always in control.

For the Burgh Boys, Ben Flack was unfortunate to be last out off the last ball of the innings from Hall when on for a maximum.

Very Approximate Scores: 

Shipwrecks 144 - 3 (Lumb 28 ret., Fallas 25 ret., A. Taylor 23, Service 22 n.o., C. Taylor 12 n.o) : Burgh Boys ?? all out (B. Flack 2? ; sorry no bowling figures)

Shipwrecks Relaunch

Although still without a home port and watering hole, Shipwrecks take to the water again this Thursday (7th May) for their first Midweek League fixture against Burgh Boys.

Needless to say the pre-season seamanship exercise and practice voyage proposed at the AGM have come to nothing so it's straight into action with cannons blazing and cutlasses unsheathed.

All hands have been asked to report their availability to Cap'n Dean before polling day.

All Hands To Battle Stations!

In direct contravention to the Shipwrecks' Constitution, Commodore Dean has called a practice (!?) to take place at Kingholm Slipway this Sunday (26th April) between 10 and 12 bells.

This will be a full-scale drill of battle tactics in preparation for the resumption of hostilities in the Dumfries Midweek League on 7th May, when it is hoped to overthrow the current government.

We will however not be able to set sail on Sunday unless there are enough hands to man the rigging. All old and new sailors should contact Geoff to let him know if they are fit for duty.

Shipwrecks' Honour Impugned!

Not mentioned in the recent sober account of the Midweek League AGM was the fact that Treasurer Everett Jeffrey (ironically himself a Shipwreck) repeatedly accused the seafarers of not having paid their League subscription for the past two years and described them as "bad debtors".

Shipwrecks' Purser Geoff Dean has however issued an angry communiqué  to state that all appropriate charges (including harbour fees) have been paid up in full.

The Only Answer?

Part of the ensuing diplomatic row may be based on a misunderstanding in that the Shipwrecks, understandably aware of the risky nature of maritime trade, have historically paid the League in arrears, and then only on sight of a full and accurate bill of lading.  But there remains a clear factual dispute over the payments made over the past ten months and only one way in which our honour can be satisfied - flintlocks at ten paces.

Otherwise people will say we're just a band of pirates!

Midweek League AGM - Highlights and Lowlights

The AGM was held in the mess bar at Nunholm last night.

The main things to emerge were:

League Format

There will still be two six-team Leagues playing on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. Teams and fixtures in each will be exactly the same as in 2014. From this season one-up, one-down promotion and relegation will apply unless both teams involved do not wish to change.

Fixtures will commence from 6th and 7th May (hopefully no Shipwrecks are on Polling Station duty for the Election).

The Cup

Will be played according to last season's format, which was felt to be successful.  We were drawn with Lockerbie and Dumfries Juniors for the mini-League stage.

The Rules

It was agreed to stick with the ruling that the first three batsmen in a side may not bowl.  The only exception to this is where only seven players are present, in which case No. 3 may bowl.

However there were some notable rule changes in other areas:-

• On a vote, it was decided to return to a maximum of four overs per bowler, although the batting captain can agree in exceptional circumstances to relax this requirement.
  
• Teams who have not paid their League fees by 1st June will be deducted five points.  Non-payment by 1st July brings a further 5 point deduction.  Trophies will not be awarded to teams who have not paid their entry fees. (Memo to Ship's purser needed)
  
• It was agreed that players can only represent one team (including Cup competitions) unless they are Under 15s. A side transgressing this rule will forfeit the fixture in question. Presumably MCC Laws on age criteria will apply. (Memo to Skipper: this could affect us, better have a word with a couple of folk.)

It was also emphasised that the toss is scheduled for 6.10 p.m. and if no representative of a team is available at that time, they will be deemed to have lost the toss. This is not a change but an enforcement of an existing rule in the hope of getting games started earlier.

Shipwrecks Cast Adrift

Shipwrecks pre-season preparations were badly thrown off course by the news that their home port, The Ship Inn, has itself been decommissioned pending extensive refit.

Last Friday Shipwrecks' AGM therefore had to take place in the unfamiliar surroundings of the Snug Room in the Hole in the Wa' before proceeding to the Captain's Table at Daksh Indian Restaurant, where some star players were sprayed with Cobra Beer by over-enthusiastic fans.

Temporarily Closed for Refurbishment?

The local CAMRA website suggests that The Ship is "temporarily closed for refurbishment" but the word on the poop deck is that it has been acquired by an 'investment company' who intend to convert it into a so-called 'theme pub'.  It is not clear whether this outfit will be prepared to finance further voyages of discovery from the Kingholm, or indeed how far they will match up to our demanding ethical standards. So the Shipwrecks may need to find an alternative source of booty as well as a home port.

In an exclusive interview with "Saucy Sailor" magazine last week, Geoff Dean said: "Aye, aye me hearty, will keep a look out for it. If not afloat we will reharbour elsewhere."

Meantime the full minutes of the AGM are being transmitted by semaphore as we speak and will be published here when they arrive in a month's time.  The Midweek League AGM looks to be on 2nd April, so please flag up any issues with our designated attache, Colin Taylor.

Shipwrecks On The Rum

Official communications from the Admiralty (aka Geoff Dean) today revealed that the Shipwrecks have once again revived from their winter voyage and are reporting fit and well for the new season.

Scene from past AGM

Many have also selflessly volunteered to take part in the so-called AGM, which takes place at seven bells in the Ship Inn, St Michael's Street, Dumfries on Friday 20th March, when frequent visits to the rum barrel will be briefly interrupted by a visit to the Captain's Table at a yet-to-be-revealed local eatery.

First-time sailors should come prepared for a lengthy trip.  On one occasion in the 'noughties, the so-called AGM lasted two days when our then figure-head, John McMillan, omitted to declare the meeting closed until 3.00 a.m. in the bar after the night club.

Shipwrecks are always looking to press gang new players. To avoid any resulting unpleasantness, all prospective old hands or young bloods looking for a game of beach cricket in the Dumfries Midweek League should contact Geoff Dean on 07825619718