Shipwrecks Stumble on Hidden Treasure

On Thursday Shipwrecks were eventually adjudged winners (see previous post) after crossing the line equal with Nunholm Colts on a mudflat of a pitch which contrasted strongly with the fast-running surface usually found up the river.

This actually made for quite an interesting tie as strokes that would normally have sailed away for four were left struggling in the foam at the edge of the boundary.  But apart from increasingly Able Seaman Chris Lumb, it was a night when Shipwrecks were often their own worst enemies.

Having won the toss but with players still to arrive, Skipper Donald McCuaig decided to bat and donned the pads to open the innings with Mike Service.  What happened was not reminiscent of a graceful ocean liner pulling away in the breeze, more like a tug trying to free itself from a sandbank as neither player managed to score well against accurate bowling from Lewis and especially Sam Thornely. McCuaig edged behind for 4 in the fifth over and Service struggled on to 14 accompanied by some skylarking from Danny McBryde before he was bowled by Lewis' last delivery.

Man of Match - Chris Lumb

Chris Lumb immediately went on the attack and advanced his team's cause considerably with a quick 25 and once McBryde had hit one in the air off Malik, there was the chance to restore order on board through Jason Hall and Alasdair McEwan.

At this point the sea-gods did not favour the Shipwrecks as Hall was luckily caught when a parried shot fell nicely to be recaptured by square leg, and then McEwan played a full toss firmly to leg but not hard enough to defeat sweeper Thornely.

After Lumb retired rookies Danny Davison and Alvin Dunn were unsure when to run and spurned several opportunities, which incidentally was the case for much of the Shipwrecks innings.  Oldsters Taylor and Mike Lumb were left with the task of trying to scrape a few runs in the last three overs and the ship's surgeon was on emergency standby when they ran a five from a double overthrow off Lyburn.  Bad luck once again played its part when Lumb then was run out by a throw that ricochetted onto the stumps off the bowler's legs.

Shipwrecks had struggled to 99 - 9.

McEwan and Chris Lumb opened the bowling with some tight overs and Lumb found a beauty to splice the mainbrace of the threatening Black in an excellent 1-4. Lyburn plodded to a maximum and Malik produced some fine shots but Dunn and Hall kept the tiller under control until the 17th over as Thornely struggled to make effective contact in worsening conditions.

Unfortunately a stiff Taylor and a rusty Davison, entrusted with the last four overs with nearly thirty needed produced a series of wides that let the Colts back into the game. Although Davison bowled Thornely the last ball went down with the totals even and it took a run out to stop the home team reaching the target.  At which point the technicalities started and it eventually emerged that an ineligible player was at the crease for Nunholm - but not before an extensive post mortem had been held in The Riverside Bar by Shipwrecks High Command who at that point thought they had lost.

Undisputed Man of the Match was Chris Lumb for his all round contribution.

Scores: Shipwrecks 99 – 9 (C. Lumb 25 ret., Service 14 ; Hussein 2-8, Lyburn 2-15, Lewis 2-20) : Dumfries Colts 99 – 7 (Malik 26 ret., Lyburn 25 ret., Thornely 13)
Dumfries Colts forfeited game for fielding an ineligible player.

Tied?... Lost?... Won!

The outcome of most sea battles is usually clearcut, but not so Shipwrecks' encounter with Dumfries Colts at Nunholm last night.

The game finished tied after Nunholm made 99 -7 in answer to 99 - 9 by the Shipwrecks, most of whom thought the game tied. According to League Rules however, tied games are won by the team losing less wickets, so a victory to the young horses seemed the right result.

But this morning an urgent semaphore from Colts' Skipper Sam Thornely was received forfeiting the game as the youngster who came in in the last over was not eligible to take part.

Tributes are due to Colts' Capt. Thornely for conceding the fixture as all those hands on watch duty had their eyes fixed firmly on The Riverside and did not notice anything untoward.

A full report will follow over the weekend as the Ship's writer is out dancing the hornpipe tonight.

Piracy On The High Seas!

This Thursday's encounter with the young scrap merchants of J. Walker & Son (St. Michael's Youth) presented a major strategical difficulty for the scurvy dogs known as The Shipwrecks. A Council of War showed that, with Davey Fallas on compassionate leave and Geoff Dean awol, the remaining squad would have difficulty coping with a well-drilled young crew led by two experienced Aussie merchantmen.

Fortunately, Mike "Yo ho ho and A Bottle of" Lumb came up with a dastardly underhand plot. In an act of total piracy, an ambitious raid led by Lumb succeeded in kidnapping known mercenary and

Pat Druce
The Scourge of Galloway

buccaneer Pat Druce, the Scourge of Galloway, as he set sail from the Isle of Whithorn on a maiden voyage to Amsterdam. Having been forced to swear an oath of lifelong loyalty to the Shipwrecks with a cutlass to his throat, he was allowed to sail freely to Kingholm No. 1 Dock, where he arrived with only a few balls bowled.

Meanwhile, Skipper Donald McCuaig had continued his excellent naval record of losing the toss and Shipwrecks took the field in some disarray. Opening bowler McEwan soon accounted for Geddes, who succeeded in clearing the masthead with a steepling shot, only to be calmly taken by Danny McBryde on the poopdeck. But Aussie pros Lulham and Jordan were already on the attack, launching cannonballs toward the horizon, so it was helpful that Druce entered the fray for the second over after a leisurely discussion on the Shipping Forecast with the opposition.

A key skirmish ensued between the still sharp bowling of Druce and the batting skills of the Aussies and, once Lulham had retired, youngster Connor Lynch, who is starting to shape up like a real sailor. A key moment in the game came when Chris Lumb, with only one mast to aim at, ran out Jordan with a rocket of a throw.

A quick discussion in the Officers' Mess decided on the introduction of slower bowling from the top end, a ploy which worked well as Andy Cameron then Jason Hall, both claimed two wickets with lobbed grenades in short spells, young Lumb now taking a great catch running sideways off Cameron. Druce had meanwhile ditched the promising Levi White with another sharp throw, and the dastardly Lumb Sr.had stumped the last senior serviceman, Ross Lamb.

After a promising start, the J. Walker youths sunk to 101 all out and were in need of a salvage operation.

The start of Shipwrecks' innings was certainly not plain sailing as talented White used the sea breeze to good effect to eliminate McBryde after Mike Service perished to Fraser Jack, both offering rather unseaworthy shots.

Mike Lumb - wanted for piracy

Opener and chief conspirator Mike Lumb however settled down in the anchor role, as Lamb came on to bowl with pace and accuracy while Druce, who had not taken a wicket, started to show what a skilled helmsman he is, steering his rippling shots to all points of the compass. Gradually, the innings took a calmer course. After Druce's inevitable retiral, the laid-back Chris Lumb took the
wheel in impressive fashion as the two batters avoided a couple of typical Father and Son runout situations.

After Chris was stumped wandering too far amidships against Dan Turner, the force of the bowling had abated and even his piratical father ended with a flourish in tandem with Hall, before Alastair McEwan struck two fours to finish the game as Shipwrecks cruised home by five wickets.

The Man of the Match Award went to Mike Lumb for his resolute 28 retired, but most of all for the dastardly capture of Druce.


Scores: J Walker & Sons 101 all out (Lynch 28 ret., Lulham 26 ret., Jordan 16 ; Hall 2-6, Cameron 2-14, McEwan 2-25) : Shipwrecks 104 - 5 (M. Lumb 28 ret., Druce 26 ret., Hall 14 n.o., C. Lumb 13)

A New Nautical Record?

The Shipwrecks' campaign got underway in damp conditions at the Kingholm on Thursday against The Burgh Boys.  Although squad members from the 'Wrecks and from Panthers, not wanting to suffer any loss of life in their first battles, had thoroughly swabbed the artificial, it was still distinctly slimey and the outfield could not have absorbed any more water without sinking.

Perhaps it should have been foreseen that so much water would favour the seafarers, but what resulted was of Leicester City proportions as the Burgh Boys foundered in the murk.

New skipper Donald McCuaig followed a long-established naval tradition by losing the toss and was invited to field.  The first couple of overs passed off without event until the ball became spongey and Davey Fallas cast a curse on the opposition with a series of shooting spinners that did not turn - a bit like that West Indian guy who looks like something out of "Pirates of the Caribbean".  Having bowled Edgar and had Webb caught, Davey produced a crucial ball from his locker to fell Aiden Collingwood lbw first ball and bowled Carmichael before leaving the battle scene grinning like a sea scout with a "job done" sticker.

McEwan picked up a couple of wickets as Mike Lumb took a nice legside catch off G. Cother's feather and Colin Taylor bowled two successive wides before managing to make the sponge move miraculously in the air to bowl Ben Flack.  Next ball McEwan caught cleanly to end G. Cother's second attempt and the innings finally fell apart in spite of some last minute resistance by young R. Cother who played a couple of nice shots before Chris Lumb bowled him for 2.

Burgh Boys were all out for 18, probably the lowest total made by any side against Shipwrecks in maritime history... unless of course someone knows better.

In spite of overwhelming complacency, Shipwrecks opening pair of Geoff Dean and Mike Service had no trouble in navigating their way to victory in a game during which no single boundary was scored.

In spite of having gone AWOL, the Man of the Match Award went to leading seaman Davey "Jones" Fallas for his astounding bowling figures of 4 - 4 off four overs, a feat that was duly celebrated in The Riverside where Danny McBryde succeeded in emptying the fruit machine.

Cricket in the Wet - Geoff Dean ponders Ben Flack's "slower ball"