Creditable Performance by Weakened Shipwrecks

Shipwrecks paddled upriver last Thursday to take on Annandale Insurance.  A selection already depleted by the absences of Rear Admiral Geoff Dean (sailing in the Mediterranean) and Peter Harrison (unfit for duty) was further weakened when two hands unaccountably failed to appear on deck at six bells.  The opposition meanwhile consisted of the usual assortment of cabin boys and old sea-dogs, with a couple of professional sailors on hand just in case things got rocky.

The nine men were invited to field on losing the toss and Gregory Robinson opened the bowling to an umbrella field, substitute Skipper Taylor reasoning that there was no point in protecting the boundary as the sole possibility of victory lay in attack.

As no-one copied the opposition ship's log, only a sketchy account of what happened next is possible, but Alastair MacEwan pilfered three wickets, the Robinsons each took a nice catch and Taylor got McBride  in his last over but finished poorly to McCutcheon as A. I. (no, not Amnesty International) eased to 144 - 4.

Instructed at least to last the full twenty overs, the Shipwrecks stuck to their duty well.  Although early wickets fell when Mike Service was bowled for a duck and Kelvin Maxwell got run out by a good throw, Sid Oates took a fancy to young Levi and clouted him for several alarmingly straight boundaries before holing out.

Kelvin Maxwell prepares to lauch one towards the tennis courts

McCuaig and Taylor scratched around for a bit but the best innings came from Man of the Match MacEwan who, promoted up the order, took on some of the better bowling on the day to hoist a maximum.  Gregory Robinson hit three fours in his 15 and Sarosh batted steadily at the end to ensure Shipwrecks were not disgraced as they survived for 91 - 7.

Scores: Annandale Insurance 144-4 (MacEwan 3 - ??) : Shipwrecks 91-7 (MacEwan 25 not out, Oates 23, G. Robinson 15)