League leaders Denton West felt the full force of a Prestwich backlash who successfully chased a 173-run target – without losing a wicket.
Centurion Danny Jones and opening partner James Wharmby majestically ensured a smooth passage into the second round of the Walkden Cup.
The emphatic victory came 24 hours after Prestwich saw their chances of chalking up a league victory over Stretford fizzle in the drizzle.
Persistent light rain meant the game was finally abandoned without a ball being bowled, and meant rivals Denton West stole a march by playing and beating their local rivals Denton.
So the Heys team were doubly determined to beat their visitors on Sunday, but in no way imagined they would do it so convincingly, with 17 overs to spare.
The wicket was still quite sodden when Andy Bradley won the toss and invited West to bat first.
It proved a wise move as Mike Schofield was caught by Carl Hey for 0 off the skipper’s bowling in the second over.
The visitors found it difficult to adjust to the conditions, and Hey was the next to strike in similar fashion, dismissing Hamish Dunlop for 9 with a smart catch by Sam Holden at short gully.
Andy O’Brien had struck four powerful boundaries before gloving a rising legside delivery from Tom Gibson to wicketkeeper Wharmby for 18.
At 81 for 3, Damon Montgomery struck a vital blow, bowling West skipper Mike Berry for 37, and wickets began to tumble at regular intervals, with Phil Kyle twice getting in on the act, claiming John McAllister for 18, followed by a nonchalant one-handed caught and bowled.
Jones uprooted the stumps of John Barnett for 0, but John Foreman survived a close run-out call to strike some lusty blows and put West back on course for a reasonable total. He was joined by pro Steve Oddy with the scoreboard showing 130 for 8 who staged an unbeaten stand of 43 to see them finish on 173, Foreman making 37 and Oddy 19.
The Prestwich bowling was never at its best, and were lucky some loose deliveries were not punished more severely, but still would have been happy to keep the visitors below the 180-mark.
With experienced duo of pro Oddy and Dave Morrell opening the bowling, Jones and Wharmby not only survived the initial barrage, but rattled up 50 by the 11th over, Jones was particularly brutal, especially on the short pitched deliveries, and raced to his half century in just 56 balls.
The left-hander survived a couple of chances, and Wharmby late on was given a life, but these were isolated hiccups in their rapid progression to the target. They passed the 100 mark in the 23rd over, and the only nail-biting finish surrounded whether Jones would be able to reach three figures.
He was on 97 with two more runs required, but planted the ball for six into the trees to finish on a rousing 103 not out..
His 99-ball century was made up of 13 fours, and four sixes, while Wharmby’s innings of 61 not out, was equally meritorious. It included seven boundaries, and three sixes, the pick of which was a straight drive high onto the grass embankment.
A home tie against Woodhouses is the quarter-final reward, but it’s back to league action this Saturday when Prestwich travel to Thornham.
* Haris Aziz scored a century and Matt Walsh chalked up his second successive six-wicket haul as the 2nd team beat Stretford in the league last Saturday. However, there was no repeat performance the day after, as they fell to a 111-run defeat to Denton West, for whom former Prestwich player Luke O’Brien scored an unbeaten 113.
