Journey's End

This week Shipwrecks played a final friendly against Galloway Allstars, who mustered a full crew to sink our coxless eight plus volunteer Rory.

Shipwrecks 85 for 7 (Taylor 25 ret, Service 12 ; Scobie 3-23, N. Hamblin 2-9) : Galloway Allstars 86 - 4 (G. Hamblin 28 ret, Williams 26 ret, T. McGrath 14 n.o.)

Scobie to Dougan

Batting first, Shipwrecks made heavy weather for themselves when their first four hands were dismissed for single figures trying to hoist the lady bowlers and it took a salty, Pugwash-like rearguard action from Taylor to post a vaguely respectable total.

As Shipwrecks struggled for bowlers the visitors nevertheless resorted to gender discrimination in easily knocking off the target of 86, of which the lady sailors made precisely two.

Meanwhile we look forward to the annual curry night on 22 September, kindly sponsored by the East India Company. 

Shipwrecks Fall Seriously Adrift

Shipwrecks went down heavily in what proved to be their final encounter of the season against RWS Forestry.  Only nine hands arrived in port from an expected eleven at the toss, Andy Hutchinson having missed the longboat and only arriving for the last two overs of the opposition innings.

Fortunately Sid Oates had stowed away to make up the numbers to ten, but short of two bowlers, things were made worse when Davey Fallas pulled up with a strain after one over and was consigned to sick bay.  The understandable result against stronger opposition was the inevitable carnage.

Scores: RWS Forestry 179 for 5 (J. Walker 43 retd., C.Brockwell 40 retd., C.Lumb 32, R.McNay 23, R. Geddes 11 n.o.) : Shipwrecks 99 for 5 (M. Service 42 retd., J.Worthington 19 n.o., A.McEwen 17 ; D.Armstrong 2-29)

To their credit, the batters made good use of their oars and several performed well faced by an insurmountable total, Mike Service notably making a splash with some firm strikes against the better bowling to take the Myers Rum Man of the Match award.

Andy Hutchinson Attacks A High No Ball

Overall the Shipwrecks can be pleased with their campaign this season.  Buried treasure in the cup was never a realistic option and they sailed on for many a nautical mile undefeated in League Division II, presumably finishing second.  They put involvement in the fray higher than success at any cost, fought according to the rules more than some, and basically enjoyed the cruise.

Foul Weather Affects Shipwrecks' Progress

The Shipwrecks went down narrowly in their final League fixture, a top of the table encounter with Dalton at the Kingholm on Thursday in which the home team got the worst of some stormy conditions.

Scores: Dalton 90 - 6 (Barnes 25 ret, Irwin 25 ret, Scarfe 17 ; Hutchinson 2-14) : Shipwrecks 85 - 5 (R Raverty 22, P Raverty 21, Hutchinson 17 n.o. ; Newport 2-12)
Dalton won by five runs

Having lost the toss, Shipwrecks took the field and restricted the run rate until a heavy westerly gale set in causing dangerously slippery decks and a number of no balls that should probably have resulted in an abandonment. Complicated navigational calculations however suggested that the Second Division Championship probably depended on the outcome so the match was continued with some enthusiasm - at least from the visitors - after a brief interruption.

Meanwhile the match ball had started to ressemble a bar of Wright's Coal Tar Soap and the Shipwrecks accordingly dropped a fistful of takeable chances.  Nevertheless, Davey "Jones" Fallas ran out the mysteriously enrolled FGc by kicking the ball onto the stumps and Andy Hutchinson removed McCutcheon with a slow yorker.  So Dalton had to run hard to record any sort of decent score.

Shipwrecks innings was marred by an early incident when John Dougan retired offended by an insulting remark from an oppostion fielder after nearly having been decapitated by a dangerous no ball. Fortunately the matter was resolved by an exchange of semaphore signals between the two captains and the rest of the game was played according to the normal rules of engagement.

Newport fell over twice on the by now soaking artificial as the Raverty brothers made steady progress without running each other out. But at the end of the game Shipwrecks best batters, Hutchinson and Fallas, were left stranded with not enough balls to mount a decisive final attack.

A mighty six by Hutchinson off Newport's last over gave momentary hope but Dalton ran out winners, helped by two sharp catches by a shoeless and padless unnamed Aussie freeloader behind the sticks.

The Sailor Jerry Man of the Match Award went to the cheery Andy Hutchinson for his strong overall contribution.