Shipwrecks Sunk by Galloway

Shipwrecks went down heavily but unsurprisingly at Castle Douglas against a Galloway XI sporting six weekend First XI players including South African pro Vootoo, having only mustered a paltry 29.

As if the odds were not heavily enough stacked, it turned out to be one of those nights when everything went wrong for the visitors. Inserted to bat, Ian Whitby and Mike Service survived a couple of maidens before one from Conn took off at Whitby who gloved it high over the 'keeper's head, only to be be swallowed up by a multiple juggling effort by Bradley, whose course started at fly slip and ended at short fine leg.

This was only the start as almost every time the Shipwrecks tried to hit their way out of trouble, the ball deposited itself conveniently in the hands of a fielder as Service, Alex Taylor and both Robinsons all shared the same misfortune and Mike Lumb, returning to duty after a prolonged absence, was given lbw to one that appeared to take an edge. 

It was always a game where Shipwrecks, for whom A. Taylor and Rory Dean had also not yet manned the decks this season, would have needed the luck on their side to have any chance and it all became too much for one team member, who abandoned ship altogether after being run out with his bat in the air.

Skipper Colin Taylor's plan of attacking with all guns in mid-innings then battening down the hatches later if necessary was finally scuppered when McCuaig was bowled by a ball from Montgomery that kept low.

With the outcome virtually a formality, Taylor decided to give returning bowlers some practice but not before Gregory Robinson had bowled Briggs and run out Penrice with a superb throw from mid wicket, which he then claimed was "a fluke".  But the sudden prospect of an embarrassing defeat clearly alarmed the opposition, who immediately sent Vootoo out to reel off the remaining runs, splicing the mainbrace with a couple of onside slogs.

Shipwrecks best moment from Wednesday's game - after the stumps had been drawn

Meanwhile news came through that our longstanding rivals Irving Meadow had suffered a similar fate at Dalton where they were all out for 12.  There maybe sends a message about the nature of the Midweek League this season and certainly sets a target for our own next fixture - at Dalton.

Scores: Shipwrecks 29 all out : Galloway 30 -2 (G. Robinson 1-7)

Can You Play on Wednesday?

Thursday's gale which restricted all craft to port and led to the unfortunate (?) cancellation of our top-of-the-table skirmish with the Kingholm XI has also disrupted communications across the fleet.  Team organiser Geoff Dean has been temporarily restationed to the Balkans and asked everyone to send Captain Taylor a signal regarding their availability for the game against Galloway at Castle Douglas High School on Wednesday 13th.

Unfortunately very few communications have been received by morse code or semaphore and we currently only have four players confirmed.

Can you please respond to Geoff's request and let me know on 07837 367924 if you can make this game or not as I do not have a list of contacts.

Shipwrecks Eye Cup Booty

The Shipwrecks sailed through to Round 2 of the Sulwath Brewers' Shield after convincingly outgunning the Police in this Wednesday's midweek fixture, although not without incident.  Due to a major navigational error by Third Officer Geoff Dean, the entire crew was ordered to report to their home port at the Kingholm when they should have been posted deep into enemy territory further up the Nith. Finding their berths occupied by Irving Meadow ratings, they then had to be transported to the correct ground in Dunkirk fashion in a variety of different craft.

On arrival at Nunholm, Skipper Taylor, unsure of how many shipmates had made the trip safely and surveying the gathering storm clouds, won the toss and elected to bat.  But it was apparent that the effects of motion sickness had not worn off when he and fellow opener Mike Service were dismissed within the first three overs, both attempting shots that betrayed a lack of concentration.

Sid Oates and Dean started to make amends for the shaky start and the latter went on to complete a maximum in a good partnership with "Jim Lad" Worthington. Fortunately the Police artillery was decidedly off target and Extras quickly became the most valuable cargo as the opposition bowlers jettisoned the ball in all directions.  Meanwhile Worthington and Gregory then Mathew Robinson put on further useful runs and Donald McCuaig and Davey Dillon, who hit one massive six towards the tennis courts, finished off in similar vein to take the visitors to 149 - 6.

The long yardarm of the Law made a reasonable start but, having been warned against complacency and conceding overthrows, Shipwrecks tightened the screw in the field as Taylor and the Robinsons took no wickets but also conceded very few runs.  Almost before they realised, the Police had lost over half their allocated overs for only 49 before Dillon struck by bowling Chalmers. 

The fraternal competition between the Robinsons took on a fascinating symmetry when they returned to the attack. Both took two wickets in two balls with yorkers, but neither completed the hat trick.  By now Victory was a mathematical certainty but Ian "Surrey Star" Whitby rounded off an impressive overall fielding performance with an excellent catch at point.

The Man of The Match Award (temporarily borrowed from the pub's Dominoes Team) was later presented to the forgiven Geoff Dean by Linsey Mallon of The Ship Inn for his excellent 26 not out.

Geoff receives MoM Award from Linsey

Scores: Shipwrecks 149 for 6 (Dean 26 n.o., Worthington 16, Dillon 17 n.o. ; Richardson 3-23, Chalmers 2-10)  : Police 89 for 7 (Brown 27 n.o., Chalmers 15 ; G. Robinson 3-17,  M. Robinson  2-17, Dillon 2-19. Shipwrecks won by 60 runs.

Full Steam Ahead for Shipwrecks

Following last week's unexpected scrapping of the SS Annandale Insurance by the Nunholm Line, the Shipwrecks returned from a fortnight's shore leave to engage a skiff manned by the Burgh Boys.  Or at least most of them did, as it was only thanks to the Robinson Bros., who press ganged their friends Stefan and Ms. Elgin to strengthen the legside field, that the 'Wrecks sailed with a full compliment.

Hoping for easy pickings and an early return to The Ship Inn, Taylor inserted the opposition to bat on winning the toss and the gamble paid off nicely.  After another first over breakthrough by fit again Andy Cameron, Cap'n Taylor greedily hogged most of the spoils for himself with a personal best of 5 - 4 to demolish the opposition middle and late order for only 49.  Sandy McNay (2) and Gregory Robinson (1) also chimed in with key wickets as the fielding side achieved an unprecedented 100% success in the catching department, repeatedly clinging on to the ball as if it was a lifeline.

A fine day at the Kingholm as Able Seaman Worthington strokes the ball through the covers

The Winning Partnership

In a minor batting reshuffle, swashbuckiling Sid Oates opened the innings with watchful Jim Worthington on guard at the other end.  Oates was soon in the metaphorical Pavilion but Mike "Senior" Service was yet again in form with a hard hitting maximum at number three.  Geoff Dean hit a couple of nice shots before edging to 'keeper Moorehead as he attempted the spectacular finish, leaving Mathew Robinson and Worthington to scamper the winning run off a bye.

This was another enthusiastic allround performance by all hands and suprisingly takes Shipwrecks to their best start to a season for many years in spite of the absence of several seasoned sailors.

"Can it possibly continue?" we ask ourselves.

Scores: Burgh Boys 49 all out (Taylor 5 - 4, McNay  2 -14) ; Shpwrx 50 -2 (Service 25 not out).

Shipwrecks won by eight wickets.

Shipwrecks on Crest of Wave

The Shipwrecks were riding high after they won their second Midweek League encounter with Lockerbie on a murky night last Wednesday, but not without some alarms on the way.  By the time the winning runs were scored it was almsot nightfall, so dark in fact that the Shipwrecks' bowling figures were completely illegible after the match finished.

The late arrival of the ferry from Lockerbie containing skipper Andy Veitch and the away team's kitbag always made it likely that the team batting second would have the worst of it and, inevitably, it was Shipwrecks who lost the toss and were asked to bowl.

Andy Cameron again struck early but asked to be taken off with a knee strain. Shipwrecks then struggled in the field, leaking extras and missing catches as Captain Taylor sought for the right bowling combination to restrict Stevie Crawford and evergreen John Smith.  Eventually he tried himself, picking up a couple of wickets after nearly dismissing Veitch early on.

An exciting moment from Wednesday's game

Faced with a total of 103 and no navigation lights as the gloom descended, Shipwrecks sent out their big guns to try and resolve the battle early and it sort of worked.  Although Davey Dillon, Gregory and Matthew Robinson and Ian Whitby all fell early, Mike Service weighed in with some powerful shots in his 23 and Geoff Dean cruised to another maximum.  By the time Taylor and Sandy McNay were together at nightfall less than 20 were needed with plenty of overs remaining and the field still set deep. So the old codgers realised all they had to do was stay in and not collide with each other between the wickets.

A couple more boundaries helped and the task was duly achieved when they scampered home for two runs off a bye.  So it is an untypically successful start to the season for the boys from The Ship, but they cannot expect an easy passage against Annandale Insurance at Nunholm next Thursday unless they liven up in the field.

Incidentally, fixtures like the above surely restate the case for orange or pink balls in evening fixtures as previously argued in an earlier post

Latest:

Annandale Insurance game is now off as Nunholm have withdrawn one of their teams from the League.

Shipwrecks Win Seesaw Encounter

In a colder than average spring, Shipwrecks' first midweek encounter with the Police took place surprisingly balmy conditions on Thursday with ne'er a squall in sight. However anticipated problems of overmanning proved to be entirely misplaced since only nine players reported for roll call - various members of last season's crew providing a variety of excuses (unfit for duty, confined to barracks, stranded overseas, etc.)

Fearing a difficult passage, Skipper Colin Taylor chose to bat on winning the toss and openers Sandy McNay and Mike Service found themselves batting warily against a much improved Police bowling attack.  At 27 for 0 after ten overs, the innings was almost becalmed but an acceleration of pace took Service to an excellent 28 retired while McNay struck a rare six over mid off. Thanks to a lightning near maximum from Geoff Dean and some late hitting by Taylor and Gregory Robinson, the 'Wrecks eventually posted a reasonably competitive 106-1.  The IX thus survived twenty overs for the loss of only one wicket. Is this a club record?

The Police innings nearly hit the rocks early on as Andy Cameron and Matthew Robinson ripped through the early batting order but the coppers eventually restored order through a great partnership between G. Brown and N. Hewitson.  Both found Taylor's reduced pace particularly to their liking, and at 79 - 4 after 15 overs, it looked like the Shipwrecks' cause was going to founder.

Fortunately old sea dog McNay had spotted that all hits were going to the leg side and quickly reinforced the starboard watch for his own bowling.  The result was a stingy 16th and 18th over, in between which Robinson (G.) had picked up the vital partnership-breaking wicket.  He captured a second to a spectacular try-like diving catch by his brother, and when Bob Davidson hoisted Taylor to the same player in the last over, the Police were still short of the target by ten runs.

Overall this was a very good sea battle that could have gone either way, but Shipwrecks had the advantage through good catching and the fact that they were better at steering the ball into the puddle at long on. Picking a man of the match on return to The Ship Inn would have been a very difficult task as Service, McNay, Dean, Cameron and both Robinsons all made important contributions.

Scores: Shipwrecks 106 for 1 (M.Service 28 n.o.,G.Dean 24, S.McNay 25 n.o, C. Taylor 13 n.o.) :

Police 96 all out (G. Brown 28 n.o., N.Hewitson 24 ; A.Cameron 2-5, M. Robinson 2-6, G.Robinson 2-16)

First Fixture Ahoy!

Our first 'serious' game in the John Henderson Midweek League will be against the Police on Thursday 3rd May - 6.15 pm at Kingholm 2.

Please let Geoff Dean know if you are available or not on 07712666794.

Perhaps this is a good time to remind all those who wish to sail with us that there is a match fee of £2 a game, payable to the Ship's Purser who is - er - also Geoff Dean.

Beating the Police is always a pleasant experience - look forward to seeing you there.