Prestwich first team turned in a five-star performance on Sunday to beat Pennine League leaders Norden and progress to the quarter finals of the prestigious Lancashire Cup.
Two key wickets in two balls from Tom Scott rocked the home side who could never recover.
Norden scraped together 112 which Prestwich passed without any major traumas for the loss of just two wickets.
Prestwich exploited the seaming wicket to its full with a scintillating bowling performance, spearheaded by Ryan Stanbury’s opening nine-over spell, in which he took one wicket but six of them were maidens.
At 43 for 1, Norden had made a promising start, but the consecutive dismissals of pro Naveed Zamurad for 13 and the in-form Josh Tolley for 15 changed the complexion of the game. Zamarad sent a high looping shot to the offside boundary where Mike Hudson took a well judged and balanced catch just inches inside the boundary rope. Scott then pinned Tolley l.b.w the next ball, and two runs later had Ashley Gowers caught by Ali Raza, finishing with 3 for 23 from seven overs.
Only Dominic Humphreys showed any prolonged resistance, making 22, but Nathan Bailey bowled intelligently to take three wickets while captain Andy Bradley and Sam Holden chipped in with a wicket each.
It was not the kind of pitch for prodding and poking, and Gihahn Cloete and Stanbury made a fluent start, helped by the extras column, reaching 56 before Stanbury was caught for 25.
Raza began to find his form, hitting 16, and Holden then fired off an unbeaten 24 in 12 balls to add to Cloete’s unbeaten 31, and secure a plum tie away at Ormskirk in the next round.
The day before, Prestwich turned in a lack-lustre display and lost out to Bury by six wickets, despite chalking up a total of 196 for 8 on an unpredictable wicket.
Holden made a classy 98, and unluckily played onto his stumps with a century at his mercy. Stanbury struck a fine 45, while James Wharmby had grafted hard for 26 until he was undone by a grubber. Alex Breckin ended with 4 for 36.
However well Prestwich batted, Bury simply batted better.
Jamal ensured they got off to a flyer and Bury raced to 60 in barely 10 overs.
The home side were always up with the rate after such a good start, and the Prestwich attack were unable to make any real inroads.
Mohammed Jamal was Bailey’s second victim (2 for 45 off 15 overs) for a hard-hitting 64 and when pro Kasun Adikari was dismissed for 60 after the introduction of Scott, there was a glimmer of hope. But as the day turned from one of glorious sunshine to miserable drizzle, so did Prestwich’s fortunes, and Bury had enough in the tank to reach the target comfortably with eight balls remaining.
• Prestwich 2nd XI claimed a place in the Per-Fit 2nd XI GMCL Cup semi-final with an impressive win over Denton St Lawrence.
A gritty display of endurance from Adam Taylor held the innings together as he was last man out for 62 in Prestwich’s total of 152, with only Daniel Ahern (31) giving any support.
But a brilliant opening blast from Olly Holt, taking the first five wickets, had DSL in a daze and they were uprooted for 69, with wickets for Wilf Reeve and Stevie Ritchie, and two for Nick Carter.
The 2nd XI lost out Brooksbottom 1st XI on Saturday who assembled a target of 166. Holt and Qasim Memon claimed three wickets each and Reeve grabbed a brace. Prestwich had looked well poised at 86 for 4, but when the partnership of Ahern (28) and Memon (35) was broken, they collapsed to 109 all out.
• Prestwich 1st XI welcome Glossop to The Heys on Saturday, while the 2nd XI travel to play Elton 1st XI.
• The third team are back in action with a trip to Denton 2nds on Saturday and a home game against Friends United 1st XI on Sunday.
