Prestwich CC were quick out of the blocks to chalk up an opening weekend double.
The side shrugged aside a self-inflicted reputation for slow starts with a comfortable six-wicket victory over Thornham in the Lees Lancashire League last Saturday.
They followed this with a one-wicket triumph in unusual circumstances against Northern League outfit Chorley on Sunday in the ECB Cockspur Cup.
Sam Holden paved the way for Prestwich to hunt down a total of 161 at Thornham.
On a low-bouncing strip, the youngster arrived at the wicket on 17 for 2 and struck 68 runs in 82 balls to guide Prestwich to the brink of victory.
He was aided by a third-wicket stand of 45 with Aussie Matt Wiley, who did well to adapt to the unfamiliar lack of bounce, and made 24 before he was brilliantly caught one-handed by McGuire at mid-wicket.
Skipper Steven Lorenzini then took up the mantle with Holden and made an unbeaten 34 to bag the maximum five points.
Earlier, pro Danny Jones grabbed 5 for 45 from 16 overs and a quickfire brace from Lorenzini proved the pick of the bowling, although neither could budge young opener Chris Heywood who made an excellent unbeaten 74.
Chorley had been knocked out of the same national competition by Prestwich last year and visited The Heys with a much changed line-up in seek of revenge.
This time, Danny Jones (3 for 12) shared the bowling spoils with brother Chris (3 for 37) as the visitors were all out for 172. Chris took out the top three in the order after they had made a steady but solid start, and Tom Gibson bowled a key spell in mid-innings (1 for 28 off seven overs), taking a return catch to dismiss pro Dhar for 24.
Holden again found himself at the wicket with the Prestwich board showing 17 for 2, but Jones began to batter with boundary boards to make 60 off 65 balls, and at 114 for 2, Prestwich were undoubtedly in the driving seat. Jones then skied a catch to Moulton at deep mid-wicket and Holden had to retire for a short while with cramp, which gave an unexpected window of opportunity to the visitors.
Gareth Barnes (15), Steve Orrell (14) and Tom Gibson (10) all got in and then got out, while Holden’s return to the crease ended two balls later without any addition to his score of 29. It left the last pair of Andy Bradley and Nick Carter still 17 short of the target.
Bradley carted a four over the infield and followed it up an over later with a booming six over backward square.
This put Prestwich within six runs of the total when the game came to an anti-climactic and controversial end, as Chorley were penalised six runs for not bowling their overs in the required time, thus handing victory to the home side.
