A TOPSY-TURVY weekend saw Prestwich extend their lead at the top – despite losing to their closest pursuers.
The Heys side suffered only their second defeat in the Lees Lancashire County League on Saturday, when second placed Woodhouses inflicted a bruising seven-wicket defeat.
This allowed their Failsworth opponents to eat up the four-point gap and put them in a share of top spot with Prestwich on 64 points.
However, 24 hours later, Prestwich bounced back in spite of a meagre total of 119, to dismiss Roe Green for 82, and claim a full five points.
Woodhouses, fielding an under-strength side due to a national Village Knockout quarter-final game, were soundly beaten at Flowery Field, handing Prestwich a five-point advantage.
Saturday’s top-of-the table showdown saw Prestwich accumulate a total of 186 for 6 with Danny Jones the mainstay of the innings with a fine knock of 78. There were useful contributions from Matt Wiley (30), James Wharmby (23) and Chris Thomas (16 not out), but it was not the vaunted pace attack, but the slow left arm spin of Nick Hardman, who returned 3 for 48 from 15 overs, which stopped the Heys side from fully capitalising on a position of 87 for 1.
Woodhouses got off to a solid start in the face of some inconsistent bowling, with Mike Cassidy and Nick Doyle both making 39. Sam Holden made the breakthrough with a caught and bowled to dismiss Cassidy and was unlucky to see Doyle edge three successive balls agonisingly past the slip cordon. However, Woodhouses run machine Josh Tolley had no such problems finding the middle, disturbing a bowling tournament by depositing Holden onto the green for six.
Doyle was well caught by a diving Steven Lorenzini at mid-off off the bowling of Elliott Woodage, and the prize wicket of Tolley was snapped up by Danny Jones, caught by Thomas, but he’d already rattled up 34 and the score had motored along to 120 for 3.
With no rush for runs, Luke Swards (45 not out) and James Clarke (27 not out) were able to coast past the target with some comfort.
There was early disaster for the home side on Sunday when, having elected to bat, they were 0 for 2 with both Danny Jones and Wiley back in the pavilion.
Holden’s brazen approach earned him 23 and Wharmby’s more considered approach gained 21, but it was left to 18-year-old Tom Gibson to shine with the bat and deliver a delightfully crafted innings of 36 not out – his highest so far for the first team.
He guided the score up to 119 which, with the pitch having plenty of scope for the bowlers, gave Prestwich some chink of hope that they could turn the game around. The Green opening bowlers were unchanged throughout as Andy Hough finished with 6 for 59 and Gaz Williams 4 for 54.
With Danny Jones bowling a very tight opening spell, and Andy Bradley extracting some sharp turn at the other end, the Green top order found it tough going.
Steve Orrell was in regular action at short leg and held onto a looping catch off Bradley for the dismissal of opener Jamie Birch, and a swift Lorenzini throw had Luke Norris run out by a country mile.
Danny Jones then struck to make it 18 for 3 when Orrell, this time at backward point, lunged to his right to clasp a spectacular one-handed catch to repel the threat of Justin Kenyon.
The impetus was with the home side and West, who top scored with 17, became another victim for the Bradley-Orrell combination to make it 38 for 4.
Bradley chalked up a five-wicket haul (5 for 33) as Steve Higson and Ashley Williams were caught by Thomas and Gibson respectively.
Chris Jones chipped in with the wicket of Gaz Williams, stumped by Wiley, and Danny Jones (3 for 12) re-entered the attack to trap Hough l.b.w. and bowl last man Berry to give Prestwich an unlikely 37-run margin of victory – the visitors’ last six wickets crumbling for 24 runs.
* Prestwich make the short trip to third-placed Cheetham Hill on Saturday, before the Walkden Cup Final on Sunday, to be held at Woodbank, starting at 1pm.
* Prestwich 2nd XI lost by 53 runs to Woodhouses on Saturday, despite a 6 for 50 haul by Damon Montgomery, but were back on the winning trail on Sunday with an eight-wicket defeat of Roe Green, as John Fiorentini hit an unbeaten 78 and Luke O’Brien 69 not out.
