Stand By For Action

An urgent semaphore message from Rear Admiral Dean was recently received to indicate that we are resuming hostilities against Nunholm Hybrids next Wednesday (Mayday!).  All hands should report on deck at the enemy port before 18.15 hours for inspection. Extra provisions are being loaded at The Ship Inn for the post-match celebrations/commiserations.

In the unlikely event that you have a) not received your call up papers or b) know someone else who would like to join the party play for us, please get in contact with Geoff (07712666794) immediately and he will welcome you aboard.

A recent outbreak of scurvy and desertions has left us with a reduced crew, so basically we need everyone we can get.

The Ship Inn expects that everyone will do their duty... and have at least one drink after the game.

Scoff Off

For those that had not already gathered, the AGM planned for 8th March did not take place, as our esteemed Leader Geoff Dean was called away to a secret assignment at Smugglers' Cove on the same evening and will presumably return laden with booty.

The fatted calf has therefore been given a reprieve and will now not be slaughtered until after Easter.  Hopefully this will be some consolation to crew members who are surviving on a diet of hard tack and Pursers' Rum.

AGM - Advance Warning!

Shipwrecks in AGM Training

For those who do not own a mobile phone (or have lost it), there has been an urgent semaphore transmission from our Hon. Purser, Geoff Dean concerning the details of this year's AGM:

Date:  Friday 8th March
Time: 19.30 hours (approx)
Location: The Ship Inn, Dumfries

As usual the AGM will be followed by a subsidised meal at a mystery location and a lengthy odyssey taking in various coastal hostelries.

Geoff also requests that all hands reaffirm their unswerving loyalty to the Shipwrecks' cause by agreeing to play again for the coming season.

Note: Being under age is no excuse for not attending the AGM as The Ship has a licence that allows juniors on the premises.

Shipwrecks Win Something!

Hot news from the world of pub quizzery: Last night witnessed a major upset when the Shipwrecks outfit came out tops of the Ship Inn pub quiz, astounding the bookies and bringing back vague memories of our double winning season on the field in 2004.

Less charitable participants claimed that the team had breached quiz rules by fielding five players instead of four, but those familiar with the Club will of course realise that this was just down to the usual disorganisation and remember all those occasions when we have turned up for games overmanned or short-staffed.

The hastily assembled squad of Colin Taylor, John McMillan, Donald McCuiag, Sid Oates and Jim Worthington all performed creditably on the night, amassing a total of 73 which compares favourably with some of our less auspicious cricket totals. Key moments in the quiz, besides gaining an amazing 22/25 in the music round,  were remembering the name of a hurling stick, Lord Rockingham XI's 1958 hit, the oldest whisky distillery in the world and Ronald Reagan's middle name, all of which were answered successfully.

The first prize of £20 was donated by unanimous consent of team members to club funds to help cover the heavy cost of the forthcoming AGM celebrations.

Whether we can maintain this sort of form when the season starts is another matter.

Anyone For Pre Season Training?

St Michael's are offering a one hour net practice session for all players interested in playing in their weekend side this summer - confident that the swamps and navigation channel on the way to Kingholm 2 will have been converted into something ressembling the Centre Court at Wimbledon by Mayday.

This seems like an excellent opportunity for us to sneak in some practice manoeuvres before the renewal of hostilities in the Midweek League.  The session will take place on Tuesday 19th February between 8.00 and 9.00 pm. at the Academy Sports Hall and any keenies could presumably progress to Saints' Sunday sessions throughout March.

This is also the time to start pressganging any would-be players who have some inkling of the game of cricket, so please send the details of any you have captured so far to Geoff.

Pub Quiz

St Michael's CC have organised a pub quiz! For those who are too short-sighted to read the poster illustration (left), it's on Sunday 10th February @ 7.00 p.m. at our home venue The Ship Inn

It is already known that our arch rivals Irving Meadow will be putting in a team, so it's obviously imperative that we put together a coxless four to defend the honour of The Shipwrecks on the night.  Indeed it might be worth turning out some of our old lags who are known quiz maestros (e.g. McMillan, Tate, Pattie, etc) although now confined to sick deck as far as cricket is concerned.

Good news is that the event will be run by our own Geoff Dean and Liz Dickie, so there must be some chance of a few soft, seafaring questions coming our way.

Apparently the terms of engagement are:-

• 3 pieces of silver each to play
• ?? gold dubloons to the winning team
• raffle mid-voyage with hidden treasure

In view of the venue, the worst losing team will presumably have to walk the plank!

Any volunteers? 

Tour de Caerlaverock Cancelled

Just to let the three people who read the previous post know that the Tour de Caerlaverock has now been cancelled due to lack of weather and St Michael's CC conducting irrigation work at the Kingholm on the same date.

Let us hope the rice crop succeeds this year!