PRESTWICH are champions of the Lees Lancashire County League for the second consecutive year.
Hard-fought victories over Thornham and Stretford conspired with results elsewhere to give them an unassailable lead.
Prestwich’s total of 92 points cannot now be touched, and led to spontaneous celebrations on Sunday night as Sam Holden struck the winning runs.
Holden’s magnificent 85 not out prompted a pitch invasion from his team-mates, who by then knew their only remaining challengers Denton St Lawrence had been defeated.
Last year, the Heys side won the league with three fixtures remaining – thus repeating the remarkable achievement.
Prestwich’s previous league title triumphs in 2004 and 2007 had gone to a nail-biting final game of the season.
The Stretford game will last long in the memory for many reasons, with a personal milestone for Andy Bradley, who skippered the side in place of the absent captain Steven Lorenzini.
Bradley’s first wicket, hitting the off-stump of Barlow, heralded him as Prestwich’s highest-ever post-war wicket-taker, passing the total of 891 by Bob Hinchliffe during his outstanding first-team career.
Prestwich’s six-wicket triumph over Thornham 24 hours earlier was not as comfortable as the scorecard may read.
The visitors lost their professional Ahmed for 34, deceived by a Bradley spinner, but steady contributions along the line took them to a par score of 180, with youngster Liam Grey top-scoring on 36.
The home bowlers found it tough going and only eight wickets could be taken, with Holden proving the pick of the attack, taking 3 for 40 in his 10-over spell.
Professional Danny Jones made a fluent start, cracking eight boundaries in his 36, but when James Wharmby (16) and Sam Holden (18) were dismissed, the total stood at 84 for 3.
But Matt Wiley’s circumspect start began to pay dividends, as he forged an affluent partnership with Tom Gibson. Wiley unleashed a bevy of strokes to put the Heys side on top, while Gibson played the ideal supporting role.
He was unfortunate to play onto his stumps for 12, but the 64-run stand had put his team on the cusp of victory. Wiley finished with a flourish, bashing the boundary boards 16 times and clearing them once during his unbeaten 86.
The Heys side made a bright start to their game at Stretford, who were already missing two of their frontline batsmen. Jones produced a wicked delivery to trap Ray Van Schoor l.b.w. for 1, and Barlow’s dismissal by Bradley, left the home side on 8 for 2.
But the impressive Lawrence and Wright hit back with a partnership of 106 before a mix-up led to Lawrence sacrificing his wicket at the expense of his younger partner to be run out for 47. That suddenly changed the whole mood of the innings, as Jones resorted to spin, and began to extract some good turn.
In tandem with Bradley, they began to chalk up victims at regular intervals, including Wright for 41, and the last eight wickets fell for 31 runs.
Jones finished with superb figures of 5 for 34 from 20.2 overs, including 11 maidens, and Bradley 4 for 61.
Prestwich’s reply saw Jones depart for 17 and Wiley caught out first ball, but there were no real alarm bells as Wharmby and Holden took the score to 58 without further mishap.
But a misjudgment from Wharmby saw him run out for 12, and Stretford were making life uncomfortable with their all-spin attack.
The score of 58 for 2 became 70 for 6 as the Prestwich innings started to look nervy and uncertain. Andy Taylor looked to be redressing the balance in a 24-run stand with Holden, until he was l.b.w. for 7 and Adam Cheshire fell the same way the next ball.
Tousuf Miran marched to the wicket on 94 for 8 to survive the hat-trick ball, with the Heys side still needing 52 for victory, and it looked an uphill task.
But that didn’t take account of Holden’s brilliance and Miran’s stubbornness as they began to knock off the required runs.
As news came through of defeat for nearest challengers Denton St Lawrwence, the 21-runs required for victory became 21 runs required for the league title.
Holden spanked two huge sixes to reduce the target to within single figures.
With five runs needed, Miran’s lofted cover drive fell just short of a fielder, evading his grasp totally, so they could scamper three runs.
Holden then sent the next ball skywards over mid-wicket and it landed safety for the two runs to be completed, sparking scenes of jubiliation from the Prestwich team.
Holden’s memorable 113-ball innings consisted of eight fours and five sixes.
Prestwich play their final home game on Saturday against Glossop, whose title challenge petered out in recent weeks, when it is expected they will be formally presented with the league trophy.
