PRESTWICH need to end their midsummer wobble in a bid to get their title ambitions back on track.
Only a Chris Thomas-inspired rally salvaged a vital point for the Heys side as they limped to a 49-run defeat at Denton St Lawrence (DSL) on Saturday.
This means they still lie at the top of the Lees Lancashire County League by the slenderest of margins from Woodhouses – who dumped rivals Denton out for just 18.
It was the third league defeat in four games for the Heys side, who must now recapture the form that saw them defeated just once in all competitions in the first half of the season.
On a sticky-looking DSL wicket, it looked a good toss to win and see the opposition bat, and Andy Bradley struck with his first ball which lifted sharply to dismiss Welsh for 0 – caught by Elliott Woodage at slip.
Adam Hawley and Imran Mirza then took up the attacking gauntlet and raced to 55 in the first 10 overs, taking full advantage of the short, straight boundary off Bradley.
The introduction of Tom Gibson helped stem the runs flow as he conceded just 10 runs in five overs. Jones then bowled the dangerous Mirza for 18, and had Abid well held at slip by Woodage for 14.
But Hawley was batting freely and stylishly, and a productive partnership was fostered with the arrival of Jason Stringer at the crease.
He cracked 47 in 52 balls, before he was superbly caught one-handed by Tom Gibson, lunging forward at deep mid-wicket.
Hawley survived two dropped chances, and was the mainstay of the DSL innings, striking 91 before he was claimed by Chris Jones, the first of his three wickets.
Bradley came back well in his second spell to finish with 5 for 64, while Danny Jones’s 15-over stint finished with 2 for 64 and Chris Jones returned 3 for 49 from his 15-over spell, but the 208-run total was going to be no easy target.
A solid start was imperative for the visitors, but the early losses of Danny Jones, the below-par Matt Wiley, and Steve Orrell, left them at 21 for 3. A promising stand began to develop between Sam Holden, who had dislocated his little finger in the warm-up, and captain Steven Lorenzini, pushing the total up to 64, before Holden was l.b.w to Mirza for 18.
James Wharmby made steady progress to 13 before he was stumped and Lorenzini was caught by wicketkeeper Dilnut for a gritty 27.
At 104 for 7, the Prestwich reply was in danger of petering out like a cheap firework, but Thomas provided the necessary spark to rescue a much-needed point. He cracked 5 fours and two sixes in a faultless innings, and having ensured his side had reached the required three-quarter total of 156, deservedly notched up his half century in the last over.
Prestwich’s character will be fully tested on Saturday when Flowery Field are the visitors.
