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.