Shipwrecks Win in the Wet

The Shipwrecks took on the Healthpros at the Kingholm last Tuesday in typically dreary July conditions and emerged damp but victorious.

Skipper Taylor, having listened to the Shipping Forecast on BBC Long Wave, invited the opposition to bat first in the hope of scuttling the doctors before the storms closed in.  In fact a rather lame opening few overs meant Healthpros survived 17.1 overs and it took an excellent spell of  3-13 by Rory Dean and some tight late bowling to restrict the score to 68 all out.

Meanwhile the return of Mike Lumb behind the stumps and some more good throwing by Gregory Robinson produced three excellent run outs - another landmark in the annals of a club that rarely runs anyone out.

Man of Match - Rory Dean

Steady rain duly set in during the changeover to make even 68 a tricky chase on the developing merse at Kingholm 2.  The tactic was to get on with it and 20 was added before Sandy McNay was run out and Geoff Dean, realising it was weather for ducks, duly got one. Then Mike Service hoisted one straight up in the air and the whole battle plan look set to backfire.

Alex Taylor and Rory Dean were left with the difficult task of eeking out the rest of the runs in increasingly dire conditions against some accurate bowling.  They showed some resolution in doing this and by the time Taylor younger was lbw to one that kept very low, Taylor senior and Man of the Match Dean  just needed to milk a few extras to get the ship home safely.

Credit however should be given to the Healthpros for playing on in conditions which, if asked for their professional judgement, could perhaps have lead to a major outbreak of influenza.

Scores: Healthpros 68 all out (Choudry 18 ; R. Dean 3-13) : Shipwrecks 70 - 3 (R.Dean, 23 n.o., A. Taylor 16)