Shipwrecks Overhaul Juniors

Shipwrecks pulled away to a 2-1 victory in this year's regatta against St Michael's Junior Academy on the green, green (and rather long) grass of Kingholm 2 on Thursday, cruising to a six wicket victory.

Scores: St Michael's Junior Academy 65 - 8 (Holmes 30 ret, Henri 28 ret ; Taylor 3-7) : Shipwrecks 66 - 4 (Mahmood 26 ret, P Raverty 17 n.o.)

Having won the toss, the Juniors quickly lost Barnett, scuttled by McEwan, and the home port side were surprised to see overseas sailor Juan Henri joining Holmes at the oars for the second wicket partnership, the two navigating with more caution than in the previous skirmishes. With no Hutchinson to consign him to the depths, Henri managed to emulate Holmes by taking a maximum but it left the the other youngsters without much of a lifeline.

Pat Raverty plays through point

Taylor and Fallas made key thrusts to eliminate Jack and Moore, the latter superbly caught by Mahmood, and the other batters could only pick up a few extra singles.

In return, John Dougan again unwisely chanced a run to Henri and Service fell to a superb capture by Callum McLaughlin, running backwards off the starboard bow. But some patience from Pat Raverty and some lusty blows and sweet timingfrom Mahmood more or less got the Shipwrecks over the line.

Explosive Alastair Destroys Juniors' Challenge

Shipwrecks overcame some uneven seas and uneven bounce at the K1 artificial on Wednesday night to win their final Round 1 cup encounter with St Michael's Junior Sailing Academy by 47 runs. Midshipman Alastair McEwan provided the killer thrust with an explosive four wicket haul that claimed key batsmen Henri and Holmes.

Scores:  Shipwrecks 104 - 6 (Service 26, Fallas 25, Taylor 17 n.o. ; Dalling 3-28, Holmes 2-1) : St Michael's Junior Academy 57 all out (Holmes 16, Moore 11, R. McNay 10 ; McEwan 4-18, Hutchinson 3-6, Taylor 3-9)

Although not the epic experienced in the League encounter, it was to be a battle in which the fortunes of war alternated sharply.  As Shipwrecks arrived with only one over the eight, Captain McCuaig wisely elected to bat but he and Mike "Senior Service" were soon struggling, particularly against opening bowling Ross Dalling and only one run - a no ball - was recorded in the first three overs. Dalling went on to dismiss McCuaig and then both of the Raverty brothers (last week's key skirmishers) within the space of just four deliveries.

In a change of fortune Service and Davey Fallas started to hit the boundary as hard as a rip tide and the crew were anticipating a big score as the run rate momentarily hit six an over.  Unfortunately "Pirate of the Caribbean" Tom Holmes dismissed both batters with his first two grenades in only the ninth over.

With only three wickets left, it looked like the Shipwrecks were inescably sinking into Davey Jones locker.  McEwan and Colin Taylor decided the only way forward was to batten down the hatches, resulting in the latter facing eighteen deliveries from Holmes without scoring a run.

Once McEwan went to Dan Turner for seven, Taylor and Chick McKenna drew on their 142 years of

Man of the Match McEwan

seafaring experience to plunder a vital twenty runs off the last couple of overs.

Having finally arrived from shore leave, Andy Hutchinson provided a real shiver-me-timbers moment when he produced a great catch at deep midwicket to dismiss Henri off McEwan for four. Ali then captured the wickets of McNay, Bainbridge to a superb catch by wickie Pat Raverty, and the vital one of the ominous Holmes who ladled a return catch.

Once Hutchinson had taken the ball to end Kieran Moore's last ditch effort, he and Taylor were left to swab up the wickets of the remaining sea scouts and the Juniors' innings foundered in the sixteenth over.

The Captain Morgan Man of the Match Award justifiably went to an alarmed Alastair McEwan for his decisive spell of bowling.

Shipwrecks Go Down in Dramatic Last Over

After easy sailing against Burgh Boys in Week 1 when the enemy failed to appear on the horizon, a few practice manoeuvres took place instead in the form of a double wicket competition. A small wager was suggested and pieces of eight thrown in the hat.  Colin Taylor and newcomer Mahmood duly looted the hidden treasure by scoring 35 without loss in their three overs.

Unfortunately, the 'Wrecks next came up against a highly trained and spirited crew of youngsters from St Michael's Junior Academy last Thursday, eventually sinking in the last over after a close tussle.

Scores:

Shipwrecks 96 all out (Hutchinson 25 ret., Mahmood 24, Fallas 12 ; Mikey 3-9, Lynch 2-14, Geddes 2-24) : St Michael’s Junior Academy 97 – 7 (Holmes 27 ret, Moore 27 ret. ; Mahmood 2-9, Hutchinson 2-10)

St Michael’s Junior Academy won by three wickets

Highlights and Low Lights

Having imported several sailors from the former SS Kingholm Meadow, it soon became clear that a common culture had been established as the new crew stumbled towards a decidedly mixed performance as several hands shot themselves in the foot with their bats. Typical Shipwrecks! It's good to see the old traditions preserved.

Richard Raverty is about to dispatch this ball for four - through the midwicket boundary

The innings was held together with a stylish maximum from Andy Hutchinson and a good contribution from Mahmood.  But the turning point of the innings and probably the game came when "Executioner" Oates condemned Davey Fallas on an lbw charge although it looked like the salvo from Geddes would have cleared all three masts.

From then on battle panic took hold, cool was lost and swashbuckling shots failed as the innings was mercifully terminated in the sixteenth over.

It looked like game over when Buccaneer Tom Holmes, having risked an early stumping, proceeded to lose several cannonballs in the long grass.

However the youngsters' South African pro Henri, in his first innings since arrival, went from Golden Hind to golden duck when he mistimed and was beautifully taken by bowler Hutchinson running back from the stumps.

The battle then swung completely as the youngsters tried to fend for themselves and it looked like Shipwrecks might have just done enough to scrape home. But Kieran "Mad Sea Dog" Moore turned the game with some strong late hitting.  Nearly taken in the deep by Taylor in the penultimate over, he lashed two sixes in the last to settle a good game.

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)

Piracy Pays

Shipwrecks sailed towards their third win of the season against hulk merchants J Walker & Sons (aka St Michael's Youth) on Thursday, but only after an inspired act of piracy on the high seas.

As four members of last week's team were on shore leave or nursing battle scars, only nine crew members reported for duty at Kingholm 1 at six bells. However the guardroom immediately dispatched a press gang, which duly returned with Connor "Starboard" Bowie who had been looking for a Thursday bounce game as permitted by the new Midweek League eligibility criteria.

Uh oh! Service skies to Cummings

Skipper McEwen won the toss and despatched Mike "Senior" Service and Jim Worthington to open against a youthful opening attack. Worthington soon edged "Mad Dog" Moore behind after hitting a nice boundary and Service eventually fell to the same bowler, lofting one to Saints pro Cummings for an aggressive 11.

Out of touch Alex Taylor had the bad luck to be caught by Muir for 8 but Davey Fallas was already going full steam ahead, and considerable forward progress was made when he was joined by Geoff Dean.  Fallas characteristically reached his maximum with a flourish, hitting a big six into the banking.

Despite some difficulties timing shots against the aerial attack of the younger bowlers, who were certainly taking the pace of the ball, Dean and Colin Taylor continued to score at over a run a ball until the latter was stumped trying to splice the mainbrace against Ryan Geddes.

After Dean retired with a boundary, it fell to Mike Lumb and McEwen to pick up bonus runs off the last two or three overs. Particularly impressive was the way all middle order batsmen managed to take runs off Cummings, who finished wicketless.

Knowing that Saints pros Rohin Thapar and Cummings would be batting early, the Shipwrecks High Command decided on the amusing strategy of placing all fielders on the boundary on the shorter Pavilion side while they were on strike, and throttling the runs from the youngsters with a tight umbrella field.

Davey Fallas duly caught Muir at deep gully off McEwen and reacted nicely to run Andrew Geddes out from the same position.  Thapar meanwhile extracted revenge, effecting his early retirement with a series of sixes off Fallas' bowling, one of which cleared the mainmast of the Pavilion to land with an ominous thud.

Cummings followed the same ploy and retired in even less deliveries, but this left the younger batsmen exposed and only Sandy McNay and Moore for company.

Assembled Shipwrecks toast MoM Geoff Dean

Replacing McEwen, new recruit Bowie duly removed the promising Smith before clean bowling both Moore and then McNay, the latter after only three lbw shouts.  It was then left to Dean and Taylor (C) to pick up the remaining two wickets, Lumb taking up a nice catch behind off Dean to dismiss Reece McNay. Geoff Dean thereby clinched the MS Porky Scratchings Man of the Match Award.

Celebrations in the Ship Inn continued long into peak viewing time, abetted by an excellent supply of sandwiches.

Scores: Shipwrecks 120 - 4 (Dean 27 n.o., Fallas 25 n.o., C. Taylor 18, Service 11 ; Moore 2-7) : J Walker & Sons 80 - 8 (Cummings 29 n.o., Thapar 26 n.o. ; Bowie 3-7)