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 Ravery and some lusty blows and sweet timingfrom Mahmood more or less got the Shipwrecks over the line.

Shipwrecks Drawn in Cup Quarter Final

Following consistent squalls, high tides on the on the Kingholm flood plain wiped out this week's return game against Burgh Boys, meaning neither fixture against them has been fulfilled this season.

Meanwhile the the quarter final matches for the Foster's Midweek League Cup have been revealed. After unadvisedly winning their group, Shipwrecks have been drawn against First Division outfit and cup holders RWS Forestry.  Whether we are to be hung and quartered as well remains to be seen.

Matches will be played on 9th or 10th August.

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 Steering to Cup Gold?

The Shipwrecks won a victory that Francis Drake would have been proud of at Kingholm Channel on Wednesday, when they repelled the Healthpros' mighty Armada with only eight seaworthy vessels of their own.

Scores: HealthPros 118 for 8 (D Hill 31, Williams 15, Doig 14, Raj 11, Lawrie 10 ; R Raverty 2 for 25, C McKenna 2 for 21) : Shipwrecks 120 for 6 (P Raverty 40 ret, R Raverty 22, Fallas 14 n.o., Mahmood 13)

Close scrutiny of the Shipwrecks' Log suggests that stingy early overs by McEwan and Mahmood battoned down the hatches before relief bowling hands Richard Raverty and Chick McKenna captured their four wickets. For the opposition who were curiously lacking in Strachans, only Hill managed to build up much forward momentum.

Healthpros managed early breakthroughs when Service was run out for 2 and Captain McCuaig wnet for 4.  But from then on it was full steam ahead as the Raverty brothers pitched into the battle without running each other out and Mahmood and Fallas produced good backup rins to clinch the

Richard Raverty batting

contest in the last over.

On balance it was decided to award the Man of the Match to Richard Raverty for his contribution with both bat and ball.

There was less celebration on the Thursday when a reinforced squadron of players landed at Dalton, only to find that the game had been cancelled because of squally conditions.  Apparently a signalling error meant that Dalton's message was not picked up in time for our radio operators to issue an alert.

Incidentally, talk of cup glory is probably in vain as, even if we win the first round division, we would need to overcome one of the top teams in Division 1 to win it.

Shipwrecks Becalm Allstars

The Shipwrecks navigated their way calmly by the Allstars by five wickets in the first round of the Foster's Midweek Cup on Wednesday.  Having less firepower on display than in the League fixture, the Allstars never really got underway on batting first and did not manage a single boundary.

Scores: Galloway Allstars 42 - 5 (Teale 11 ; Cameron 2-9) : Shipwrecks 45 – 5 (Service 13, P. Raverty 10 ; McGrath 3-5)

Things started to go awry when Hamblin Sr. was run out by Taylor's underarm throw and J. McCulloch lobbed a catch to Fallas at mid-off.  Cameron then bowled Ramsay and Mahmood captured the key wicket of McGrath to a sharp caught and bowled, finally cradling the ball in between his forearms.

From there on there was no return passage for the Allstars and Shipwrecks were happy to let them drift quietly to their final total of 42.

In reply, the home team inevitably suffered some damage to the accurate canonballs of McGrath, who again bowled again off a run up of about 20 yards but fortunately it was not necessary to call the Ship's Surgeon.  Mike Service and Pat Raverty struck a couple of lusty blows before McEwan and Mahmood saw the boat in during the twelfth over.

Dougan survives an lbw appeal against McGrath

It had been agreed that the Shipwrecks would bat their full twenty overs to allow both teams some extra target practice, by which stage they had reached 95 - 7 after a couple of late run outs (Mahmood 24, McEwan 16 n.o., Cameron 13)

Shipwrecks' Cruise Nearly Wrecked!

Shipwrecks eventually scraped over the finish line in Thursday's match against Dumfries Colts in a tight game that went down to the last ball, Chick McKenna throwing caution to the winds and scudding home for a decisive bye in an 'exciting' finish.

Scores: Dumfries Colts 87 – 5 (Malik 25 ret, Byers 25 ret, Ahmed 18 n.o.) : Shipwrecks 88 – 9 (McCuaig 18, Service 16, Hutchinson 15, R. Raverty 10 ; Byers 3-6, McBurnie 3-20)
Shipwrecks won by 1 wicket

Having lost the toss, Shipwrecks took the field minus Davey Fallas, who had an attack of yellow fever, to face a band of enthusiastic sea scouts under the command of Bosun Stuart Byers.

Byers and Adam Malik duly reached their maximums, though not without initital difficulties but there was little further support with the bat apart from late on from Ahmed and the final total of 87 was decidedly gettable on a fast surface.  Ali McEwan was the sole wicket taker in an innings that included two run outs.

A notable contribution in the Shipwrecks innings came from youngster Katie Atkinson who quickly speared Sid Oates and impressed in battle with her classic bowling action.

Mike returned-to-duty Service and Captain McCuaig however pulled their oars together to build a steady partnership and from 39-1 off eight overs, Shipwrecks should have cruised home easily. But some ill-advised attacking shots and Mahmood hitting his own wicket ended the complacency.

Mike Service on the drive

Byers came on to sink Pat Raverty lbw and bowl Hutchinson and Richard Raverty while Taylor was well run out by Malik and the shift to cold panic was underway.  But with just a few singles needed and the excitement mounting, the tailenders held out and McKenna's amazing charge from the bowler's end with the ball in the wicketkeeper's gloves just saw him home.

In the ensuing celebrations and pandemonium, Ship's writer Taylor forgot to pick his camera so the Man of the Match Award goes to home skipper Stuart Byers for handing it in at the bar.

Unchivalrous Shipwrecks

The Shipwrecks unchivalrously put the predominantly female Galloway Allstars to the sword by 37 runs in the latest skirmish at Kingholm 2 last Thursday.

Scores: Shipwrecks 105 - 6 (Fallas 29 ret., Dougan 15, McCuaig 14) : Galloway Allstars 68 - 8 (Teale 27 ret., G Montgomery 26 ret. ; Taylor 2-6, Fallas 2-7, Hutchinson 2-10)

Seafaring tales are full of the past exploits of women pirates like Anne Bonny and Mary Read but unfortunately none were available for selection by the Allstars, who would really have needed maximums from most of their male counterparts to overhaul Shipwrecks' fair to middling 105.

It could have been different. Faced by a breezy attack from G. Montgomery and McGrath, who in particular appeared unaware of the 10 fathom run up rule, Shipwrecks lost both Ravertys and Mahmood for just 10 between them and found themselves becalmed on a paltry 29 at the half way stage.

However Dougan and Captain McCuaig steadied the ship before Davey Fallas fired off a lightning 28.  The Allstars pulled off some fearless stops in the field but a rising tide of extras helped the old salts to a reasonable score.

A solid shot from Fallas

John Dougan goes aerial

Some steady as-you-go bowling from Ali McEwan and Andy Hutchinson pinned down the visitors run rate but it was Man of the Match Davey Fallas who made the crucial breakthrough, beating T. McGrath with one that did not turn (Does he turn any? - Ed.)  For the Allstars, Natalie Hamblin batted sensibly and judged the runs well but Taylor returned with some big in-swingers, the runs dried up and the Allstars were left stranded in the sixties.