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)