A strange thing occurred on Saturday……….
Prestwich’s cricketers managed to enjoy a full 50-over game – and the only covers they would have pulled on were their duvets at bedtime.
However, full credit must go to the hardy volunteers who had worked on the rain-lashed Heys ground to make it playable.
Even then, one corner of the ground resembled the water jump at Aintree, and was safely cordoned off.
But the sterling groundwork paid dividends as Prestwich resumed their assault on the Lees Lancashire County League title with a convincing 148-run defeat of cup finalists Denton West.
Their batsmen were all at sea trying to cope with the slow bowling of Andy Bradley, who grabbed a season’s best return of 7 for 32, as they plummeted to 78 all out.
The visitors had been set a target of 226 in an innings of swaying fortunes from the Heys side.
Danny Jones and James Wharmby staged an opening partnership of 85 to lay some excellent foundations, but had West’s catching been up to scratch, it could have been a different story.
Jones was the main beneficiary, and struck four fours and three sixes in his 45.
Matt Wiley struck two sixes in his 17 but then holed out to left arm spinner Mike Murphy, with the score still a healthy-looking 124 for 2.
Sam Holden stroked two boundaries, but was deceived by a slow drifter from Paul Turner, and was bowled for 10.
Wharmby, batting with determined concentration, reached his third half century of the season, and yet his first lapse proved his last as he strode out of his crease, and was stumped, again off the wiley Turner (4 for 31), for 58.
Wharmby’s dismissal at 151 for 4 caused a dip in momentum and three more wickets then fell in the next 20 runs as skipper Steven Lorenzini was surprised by “lifter” from the sedate Turner for 13, and Steve Orrell was yorked by Dave Morrell for 9, who also struck again to dismiss Tom Gibson for 3.
With just over five overs left, West had gained the upper hand at 171 for 7 until Oliver Holt jump-started the Prestwich innings back to life with a superb cameo.
He made an unbeaten 31 in just 15 balls, and a quite stupendous strike into the trees off a good length ball was the pick of his three sixes.
The scoreboard rattled beyond the 200-mark as Holt, aided by Chris Thomas, staged a rapidfire 41-run partnership, and even when Thomas was caught for 12, Andy Taylor took up the run charge with a glorious six onto the banking off the final ball.
Prestwich’s opening attack soon had the West top order in trouble with Jones (2 for 19 off 11 overs) bowling both openers and Bradley snapping up Jamie Williams and Turner as the score went from 11 for 0 to 14 for 4.
John Barnett and Andy O’Brien staged a mini-revival to push the total on to 46 before Barnett tried one attacking shot too many against Bradley and was caught by Holden at deep mid-on for 23.
Bradley racked up another four victims in quick succession, including O’Brien for 18, and West slumped to 62 for 9.
It was left to West’s number 10 Jordan Williams to show some resolve with four cracking boundaries off Taylor, who gained the final word when Wiliams flashed the ball to first slip where Gibson took a sharp, overhead catch.
A potentially pivotal weekend faces the Heys men with a trip to fellow title challengers Denton on Saturday, followed by a derby clash on Sunday at home to fifth-placed Stand.
* Prestwich 2XI lost by 120 runs at league leaders West, where only a defiant 54 by Jon O’Connor prevented a bigger margin of defeat.
* Prestwich 3XI won by 84 runs against Rochdale Catholic Club, with Mike Mangnall hitting 90.
Match Photo’s – Prestwich 3XI v Rochdale Catholic Club
