Shipwrecks Sail Close To The Wind

The Shipwrecks overcame an old sailor's curse at the Kingholm on Thursday, when they finally managed to triumph over the Healthpros by three wickets in their Midweek League Division II encounter. But success only came after a distinctly creaky batting performance, which nearly saw them sunk without trace.

In fair to sweltering conditions, the start of the match was unfortunately delayed as Ali McEwen was late after jetting into Annan* and still had the boundary marker buoys in his car after the last game. Meanwhile the Healthpros won the toss and chose to bat.

Colin "Old Man of The Sea" Taylor and McEwen himself  delivered a series of eight tight overs in a game of Ship's Cat and Mouse as the early batters refused to be drawn into any misadventures. Dave Hill was calmly caught at gully by Mike Service off Taylor's third delivery and McEwen soon bowled Sue Strachan.  No more wickets fell on their watch but by the end of it Taylor had figures of 1-4 and McEwen's were only spoiled by a big six from Williamson off his last delivery.

With only around 20 on the board, the pressure was now on the Healthpros to tighten the sails. Although Chris Lumb first struggled to find rhythm, Jason Hall picked up a couple of wickets, including the vital one of Doig, who was bowled for 20.  Mike Lumb conjured up a seaworthy spell, bowling the threatening Chezian for 9 and having Chamilla neatly caught amidships by Lumb (Jr.).

The latter then returned to good effect to remove David Strachan and Kalaya, Davey Fallas picked up a couple of stumpings, Williamson took nearly the full 20 overs to complete his retirement and experienced sailor Ben Rayen, surprisingly held back at No.11, was left stranded with Rosie Ryan on small not outs.

That the final total hoisted was 92 for 9 reflected the fact that Shipwrecks managed to concede 21 wides, so it was a good job they weren't sailing an aircraft carrier.  There was nevertheless an air of complacency below decks at the dinks interval.

This proved entirely misplaced as Doig quickly had Mike Service caught at mid-off and then scuppered Kelvin Maxwell with a straight one. At the other end Chamilla's bowled two overs of left arm spin that could have done more damage than just bowling Geoff Dean for 2.  Hall survived an lbw appeal to a rising delivery but was soon bowled by D. Strachan. Chris Lumb, perhaps sensing danger charged down the wicket for a quick single and was run out. At this point no Shipwreck had made more than his 6 and the team was running out of firepower.

Fortunately it fell those veterans of many a battle off the Clyde Coast, Mike Lumb and Davey Fallas to hold firm in stormy weather.  Fallas fired a couple of quick boundaries as the score finally began

Davey Fallas - delighted

to pull away.

Doig and Chamilla were brought back to break the Shipwrecks' lines and the pair responded with caution but still kept the required run rate at no more than five an over. Lumb played a couple of nice deflections to the short boundary and Fallas hit a fine six before each retired in quick succession.

This left McEwen and Taylor to get 15 off the last four overs in poor light but McEwen hit one four off Strachan and two off Ryan to complete the job unaided.with two overs to spare.

The result puts the Shipwrecks ahead of J. Walker & Son at the top of Division 2, resulting in lengthy celebrations in The Riverside Bar

Man of the Match was a clearly delighted Davey Fallas for his vital 25 retired and two stumpings.

Scores: Healthpros 92 – 9 (Williamson 28 ret., Doig 20 ; M. Lumb 2-11, Hall 2-12, C. Lumb 2-25) : Shipwrecks 94 – 7 (Fallas 25 ret., M. Lumb 25 ret., McEwen 14 n.o. ; Doig 2-17)
Shipwrecks won by three wickets

*Some mistake here surely (Ed.)

AGM Logbook

In the absence of any sort of coherent minutes from the above event, the following jottings may serve as some kind of steer on the course of events.

There were no apologies for absence nor indeed for being there.

Skipper Alasdair McEwan delivered an impassioned motivational speech to the assembled crew, of which the key points were:

• Shipwrecks enjoyed a successful season in which we achieved third place in Division II and got through to the Plate semi-final, the away League victory at Lockerbie being a red letter day.
  
• However as last season there was an albatross round our necks in the shape of the Healthpros against whom revenge was duly sworn.
  
• Honourable mentions in despatches went to Colin Taylor and Mike Service for their contributions to the arts of bowling and batting respectively.
  
• Having piloted the Shipwrecks through murky waters for several seasons, he however felt it was time to cut and run in favour of a new figure-head.

Head Purser Geoff Dean revealed that he had a reasonable sum of money stuffed down his hammock (subject to forthcoming voyage to Indian Restaurant).

Radio Officer Colin Taylor transmitted the fact that GCHQ had collected metadata on over 6,800 blog hits, with an average of 30 - 50 per post over the past twelve nautical months.

The following officers were elected unopposed:

Skipper: Donald McCuaig

Bosun: Davey Fallas

Purser and Quartermaster: Geoff Dean

Communications Officer: Geoff Dean/Colin Taylor

Following a comprehensive kit sponsorship deal agreed with Ann Magee of the Riverside Bar we sail next season under the flag of convenience "Riverside Shipwrecks".

A tour was again discussed.  Will it happen? Of course not.

Also discussed were a pre-season training session and friendlies against St Michael's and Thornhill CC. Will they happen?  No, but more likely than tour.

Close Encounter of the Third Kind

After two close battles with the Healthpros in the League resulting in losses, the Shipwrecks hoped to reverse their fortunes with an act of piracy  in the Fosters Plate Semi Final at the Kingholm on Thursday. On winning the toss, Sub Lieutenant Donald McCuaig won the toss and elected to bowl, play finally commencing late after various delays in sailing.

Shipwrecks battle ploy was to hold their fire by not launching raw pace bowler Derek "Shabba" Rankine until the Healthpros middle order entered the fray, Petty Officers Colin Taylor and Jason Hall being promoted to open the attack. The idea was to stall the opponents' innings by not taking early wickets.

Unfortunately neither bowler had read the script. Taylor bowled Wilson and had Venkat stumped in his second over and Hall bowled Laurie for one. By the time Taylor bowled Williams, Rankine had been introduced to deal with the fleet of Strachans approaching over the horizon. In fact it was Davey Fallas who bowled Fraser Strachan in full tilt and it took a strange run out late in the piece to eliminate David Strachan after he collided with John Mutthiah and both players hit the deck half way down the wicket.

Mutthiah managed to hold the stern together before he was last man out in the last over, lbw to Andy Cameron.  In spite of his salvage operation, the Healthpros only managed 79 all out and the Shipwrecks were already eying up the booty.

However the latter stages of the Cup competitions are often aversely affected by the darkness plus the lack of a lighthouse on the Nith, and unfortunately that is what happened on Thursday. Sid Oates and Mike Service made an unfortunately slow start and only 19 runs were collected in a becalmed first eight overs, Oates having been bowled for 1 by Fraser Strachan in the seventh.

Twilight Post-Mortem

Service and Geoff Dean gave the innings some impetus but when Service retired, Davey Fallas missed out for once and was scuppered by a straight one from Williams. Bad luck then started to intervene when Hall hit his second delivery hard but straight to short mid on. Once Dean was bowled for a boundaryless 11 and Mike Lumb succumbed for 2, Rankine and Taylor needed 20 off the last four overs, scratching about in increasingly difficult light.  Neither could reach the boundary and Shipwrecks eventually fell tantalisingly short  by just 4 runs after a last over collapse.

So dreams of cup glory are put aside for another tide and, with no tour or friendlies lined up, there is only the so-called AGM at the Captain's Table to look forward to.

Joint Men of the Match were Mike Service for his solo batting effort and Colin Taylor for his three wickets.

Scores: Healthpros 79 all out (D Strachan 24, F Strachan 15, Mutthiah 14 ; Taylor 3-18) : Shipwrecks 75 - 7 (Service 25 n.o., Dean 11 ; Williams 3-13, K Strachan 2-3)

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)

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)

Shipwrecks Founder In The Darkness

Shipwrecks were left wondering who killed the albatross after the Healthpros escaped with their lives in the recent encounter at Kingholm 2. For, after a creditable performance on being asked to field and restricting the Medics to 85, they were cursed with the luck of Jonah and fell short of the target by 12.

Healthpros made heavy weather of the early part of their innings, restricted by tight bowling from Alasdair McEwan and Derek Rankine who bowled Sue Strachan for 1. After experimenting with a couple of wides, Colin Taylor got one to nip away from David Hill, who fell victim to a sharp catch by Ship's Doctor Mike Lumb standing up behind the stumps. The old sea dog continued to make use of the leg cutter to bowl Thin and had Doig nicely taken on the run by Rankine off his last salvo. Meanwhile Peel was run out following some neat work by McCuaig and Lumb.

Unfortunately the tide of success slackened as two takeable chances were spilled and, crucially in an encounter that was to produce only four boundaries, Shipwrecks left too much space on deck and several unnecessary singles were pillaged by the Strachans (Sr and Jr) as the Healthpros probed their way to 85 for 7.

A few lusty sixes should have settled the affair, but a chill breeze sprung up from the Dogger Bank as the sky grew blacker than a pirate's eyepatch, producing enough bad light to stop three test matches.

Jim Worthington edged behind second ball and Mike Service was tied down by accurate bowling from Raj as the run rate stalled, eventually being bowled as he tried to break the shackles.  Geoff Dean literally lost his middle stump (it broke) first ball to one that kept low and after McCuaig was run out under pressure, Taylor fell to another deck scourer from Rayen.

Donald McCuaig On Strike Before The Blackness Descended

Some sort of partnership developed between Rankine and Jason Hall, who did well to see the ball, let alone hit it.  But when Hall was bowled by Mutthiah, the writing was on the wall.  The key sloggers fell as McEwan unluckily played on and Cameron edged straight to slip and Shipwrecks' luck was clearly at rock bottom when Mike Lumb hit a firm shot only to be magnifcently taken by a diving Mutthiah for 0.

By this time it was statistically impossible for Rankine to get the necessary runs because of the retiral rule barring a brainstorm from Worthington in his second coming for the absent McBryde.

The New Scorebook

The two did what they could in the last three overs but it was never going to be enough.

Hopefully the acquisition of a new logbook by Purser Dean will bring better luck, but on this showing, we'd do better to chuck it overboard on the next voyage.

In spite of Rankine's excellent 24 not out and two wickets, the Man of the Match went to Colin Taylor for his vintage bowling spell.

Scores: HealthPros 85 for 7 (F Strachan 25 ret, D Strachan 19 ; C Taylor 3-11, D Rankine 2-11) : Shipwrecks 73 for 9 (Rankine 24 n.o., Hall 16 ; R Shyam 3 for 8)

Shipwrecks On Course

Shipwrecks latest fixture against the Healthpros was played in Caribbean conditions at Kingholm II on Thursday, when they navigated a precise course to victory to overcome a late fightback by the visitors.

Alasdair McEwan was surprised to be asked to bat first by an understrength opposition in thirsty conditions. After a solid start from Jim Worthington and Donald McCuaig, Alex Taylor went full steam ahead aiming

Donald McCuaig gets one away behind square off Doig early in the innings

some lusty blows before being joined by Davey Fallas for his habitual typhoon maximum, including three sixes despatched seaward.  Initially out of touch, Geoff Dean knuckled down in similar vein with an impressive six off Kirsty Strachan, leaving time once Taylor retired to run Sarosh out as well as himself for 24 before the 'Wrecks innings disembarked on 114 - 6.

Meanwhile Mike Service - fatally undecided between attack and defence - and Colin Taylor - sliced a wide onto his own stumps - had been left behind to mutter a few choice naval curses on the boundary and Danny McBryde recorded a proud 1 not out.

Still in bright sunshine, Healthpros' Learie and Morisetty made a breezy start against Taylor (Sr.) and McEwan, testing out the sea legs of the older sailors with some sharp singles from the off.  But a neat spell of spin from Fallas halted the doctors' progress and, once McEwan bowled Learie, the introduction of the very tall Sarosh again caused bamboozlement as he lobbed a series of grenades down onto the pitch from about mast high to dismiss both McKinnel and Williams.

Shipwrecks' fielding also tightened up and Donald McCuaig took two outstanding catches at point - all the more impressive as, although shunning the traditional black patch, he is still recovering from a recent eye operation.  Then McEwan hit the stumps with a brilliant throw from about 30 yards to finally run out Morisetty.

MoM Alex Taylor -
Nice T shirt!

Considerably ahead on run rate but short of a fifth bowler, McEwan reluctantly called on legspinner Dean, who bowled a series of wides down the channel of total incredulity before yorking David Strachan with a much faster surprise delivery. Kirsty Strachan was run out soon after but Mutthiah and the returning Learie hit out across the line against the returning opening bowlers, and only six was needed when McEwan produced a dot ball off the last delivery.

So it all went to plan - sort of. The Berghain Man of the Match Award went to Alex Taylor for his important innings, finishing with a straight six.

Scores:  Shipwrecks 114 - 6 (A. Taylor 28 n.o., Fallas 26 n.o., Dean 24, McBryde 1 n.o.) : Healthpros 108 - 7 (Learie 13 & 12 n.o., D. Strachan 20, Morisetty 18 ; Sarosh 2-10)

Shipwrecks Steam Ahead

Shipwrecks outpaced a strong Healthpros crew in a highscoring game at Kingholm 2 on Thursday night, in defiance of continuing poor visibility and a damp outfield.

Short of Davey Fallas (missed boat at Stranraer) and Donald McCuaig (on boat to Isle of Man), Shipwrecks cleverly argued for the fixture to be relocated from bouncy Kingholm 1, only to find that the K2 boundary line is by now almost completely invisible. This led to a later debate as to the whereabouts of the team's boundary and semaphore flags, which are by various accounts a) lost forever in Davy Jones' locker b) safely dry docked in St Michael's shed or c) in someone's garage (to be continued).

Good fortune was with us as Shipwrecks won the toss and elected to bat.

Jim Worthington was first to go, edging Dave Strachan to gully in the third over, after which Mike Service ignored the 'steady as you go' call from Dean at the other end and slashed round a straight one.  But Chris Lumb, who had been allowed an extra tot to celebrate the end of his exams, then launched into the attack with great gusto, particularly favouring Fraser Strachan's short stuff.  By the time he retired for 27, the score had passed fifty in only seven overs.

Sid Oates swings again

The ball continued to sail off the bat when Alex Taylor took over the shift, but the the longest hit of the night came from Dean, who hit a one bounce six off the towpath into the river before he holed out for 24. Skipper Alastair McEwen was out first ball, but the later batsmen managed to continue progress, albeit at a reduced rate of knots even when Taylor was bowled for 23.  Sid Oates in particular produced a fine little cameo near the end as Shipwrecks reached 120 - 7.

What followed from Shipwrecks was a mixture of sublime and ridiculous.  Chis Lumb struggled to find the right line, but in between bowled Dave Hill and Ian McLelland.  Between more wides, Jim Worthington and Alex Taylor both took fine catches to help McEwen towards a four wicket haul.  But once an erratic Colin Taylor got the key wicket of Faisal to an excellent catch by Mike Lumb standing up, Shipwrecks appeared to slacken sail, as if expecting to coast home to an easy victory.

MoM Chris Lumb

Several takeable chances were dropped, particularly off Dave Strachan and it was only when the doctors looked like they might have some chance of staging a victory operation, helped by the change to a pink ball, that the tide turned. Fielding to his own bowling in the dying overs, Chris Lumb threw down the wicket from a sitting position and Sid Oates took an impressive and much-celebrated catch, diving forward full length to deprive Matt Williams of his maximum.

Mention should be made in despatches of Mike Lumb's excellent wicketkeeping, throwing himself around the quarterdeck to intercept the volley of wides, but the Scottish Qualifications Authority Man of the Match Award went to son Chris for his tonesetting innings, two wickets and excellent run out.

Scores: Shipwrecks 120 - 7 (C. Lumb 27 n.o., Dean 24, A. Taylor 23, Oates 11 ; Faisal 2-14, D. Strachan 2-20) : Healthpros 101 all out (D. Strachan 25 n.o., Williams 23 ; McEwen 4-22 C. Lumb 2-21)

Attention All Seafarers!

To improve team morale and diet, The Ship Inn will be laying on sandwiches and hard tack after all forthcoming fixtures at the Kingholm. N.b. Buy your own Porky Scratchings!