Prestwich 1XI v Glossop and Woodhouses
LCL Division One at North Road and Medlock Road
14th & 15th August 2010
PRESTWICH put on their Sunday best to harpoon the title ambitions of high-flying Woodhouses.
The Heys side staged a storming display to upset the applecart of the Failsworth team, lying third in the Lees Lancashire County League, by four wickets.
And yet, after missing a couple of early chances in the game, a long slog in the lush outfield looked likely. There was certainly no sign of the drama to come when Woodhouses reached 73 without loss, despite the efforts of opening duo Danny Jones and Phil Kyle who toiled valiantly but without success.
The whole complexion of the game suddenly turned when Oliver Holt, coming off a shortened run-up, removed openers Mike Cassidy for 38 and James Clarke for 25, and Andy Bradley put a stranglehold on the home team’s batting artillery.
Indeed, Holt’s economical approach to the wicket did not diffuse his liveliness, as he got the home batsmen regularly to waft at fresh air – much to the chagrin of one home onlooker who proceeded to give a ball-by-ball commentary from the boundary edge.
Another unexpected cataylst was the fielding performance of Phil Kyle, who shrugged aside his butterfingers tag, to take three excellent catches in the deep. Indeed, many people would have lost their homes had they invested in their predicted outcome.
Doyle’s dismissal also heralded the first catch for Nick Carter in the first team, comfortably snaffled on the cover boundary.
Holt finished with an inspired 5 for 40 off 16 overs while Bradley mirrored the performance, taking 5 for 24, as Prestwich dismissed their rivals for 124.
The SAS (Swards and Sweeney) attack was not going to make things straightforward for the visitors, but buoyed by a reading of Thomas’s Law in the dressing room, there was plenty of Prestwich resolve.
Lewis Johnston cracked Sweeney for 4 but soon afterwards saw the off-stump bail deposited just yards from the boundary.
Jones and Steve Orrell (promoted to number 3 for the day where he is renowned as one of the best in the league – allegedly) knuckled down to take the score to 44 before Swards trapped Orrell l.b.w. for 11. Skipper Steven Lorenzini’s nick failed to prevent him being adjudged l.b.w. and when Jones became Sweeney’s third victim for 24, three wickets had tumbled for six runs. Holt looked in good form with three boundaries but then played onto his wickets and the game was teetering on a knife edge at 65 for 5.
Prestwich’s prospects rested on youthful shoulders as 16-year-old James Wharmby joined teenage compatriot Sam Holden at the wicket.
But they both rose to the occasion to stage a match-winning 55-run partnership, mixing solid defence with flambuoyant strokes.
Holden cracked seven fours in his unbeaten 31 while Wharmby was equally impressive, falling for 30 with victory just four runs away.
The triumph banished a powderpuff Prestwich performance the day before when they visited leaders Glossop and took first strike.
The top three were nestled back in the pavilion having the remains of some tea which Holt had spilt on the clubhouse steps. Only 30 runs were on the board, but Orrell and Lorenzini staged a spritely mini-recovery to take the score swiftly to 70. However, the wheels came off the Prestwich bandwagon when Orrell was caught and bowled for 26 and Lorenzini saw a Perera delivery unfortunately trickle back onto his stumps for 12.
Six wickets were lost in the space of nine runs, and even though Kyle’s run-a-ball innings of 4 pushed the score into the 80s, a final score of 89 was well below expectations. Will Hargreaves inflicted the damage with 6 for 21.
In reply, Prestwich clawed back a smidgeon of pride by claiming five Glossop wickets, three snapped up by young Carter (3 for 15) and a brace by Bradley.
However, it was Bradley’s second victim which signified a landmark achievement. Not only was it the prized scalp of pro Perera, caught at short leg by Orrell, to mark a rare failure from the Glossop paid man – but it was his 700th first team wicket.
