THERE was no goblet of cheer for Prestwich when they lost the Walkden Cup Final by 60 runs to rivals Woodbank.
The match had been in the melting pot as the Heys team made a valiant effort to chase down a target of 223.
At the halfway mark, they were 100 for 3 but only faltered in the final quarter as Woodbank grabbed a couple of timely middle-order wickets and the run rate spiralled beyond them.
The Bury side won the toss on their home patch and made a flying start as Brett Collins and 14-year-old Harry Dearden raced to 80 in little more than 12 overs.
Spinner Chris Jones made the breakthrough, dismissing Dearden, caught by Steve Orrell at extra cover, for 28.
Sam Holden dislodged Sam Holt’s leg-stick bail for 2 and then had pro Steve Dearden caught behind by keeper Matt Wiley off the very next ball, only for it to be signalled a no-ball.
Jones struck for a second time, claiming Collns l.b.w. for a bold-hitting 49, and then had Mark Stringer caught by Wiley for 0 as Prestwich fought back into the game.
Jones finished his 10-over allotment with 3 for 38 and was replaced by fellow left arm slowie Elliot Woodage who took the scalp of Dearden for 18, producing a peach of a delivery to nip back in and hit the off stump. Woodage clung onto a return catch to dismiss Mark Hamnett, and then bowled Nick Kennedy round his legs to finish with a commendable haul of 3 for 32.
Tom Gibson then produced a magnificent run out, first making an excellent diving stop at mid-on before turning and throwing in one motion to leave Andy Leach run out by yards.
At 170 for 8, Woodbank had lost their early advantage, but Nick Haynes dug in to carve out 43 which ulitmately won him the man of the match award. Aided by some lusty hitting from John Chapman, who made 26, the spurt saw the home side rack up a testing 223 before Danny Jones (2 for 29) claimed their wickets.
The opening Woodbank blast from Saj Nawaz and Steve Dearden was weathered by the Prestwich openers but Danny Jones snicked to wicketkeeper Chapman for 8 off Sam Holt’s first over.
Wiley and Orrell made circumspect progress, building a decent half-century partnership until the wily Mark Stringer found the edge of Orrell’s bat for 24.
Dearden was brought back into the attack and a third successive catch behind to Chapman was the undoing of Holden for 11.
But it was Nawaz who delivered a significant blow to the Heys’ hopes when he bowled Wiley for a well constructed 45, having looked to prosper in a stand with skipper Steven Lorenzini.
James Wharmby gave a catch back to Kennedy, but the drama continued as Dearden got a taste of his own treatment, bowling ChrisThomas but off a no ball.
However, Kennedy had Thomas caught at short cover shortly afterwards and the required run rate was now becoming a tall order.
Chris Jones, Gibson, Lorenzini – run out by a direct throw from Haynes for a gritty 28 – and Andy Bradley all perished for the cause as the last four wickets tumbled for a handful of runs, prompting an unceremonious pitch invasion.
Kennedy 2 for 18, Dearden 2 for 23, and Nawaz 3 for 26, inflicted the main damage for the victors.
* Prestwich suffered an agonising eight-run defeat at the home of third-placed Cheetham Hill 24 hours earlier.
Some tight bowling, led by Andy Bradley (4 for 50 off 24 overs) and Danny Jones, kept the Hill batsmen in their shell for much of the innings as they struggled to make two-an-over. Two run-outs, and an excellent leaping catch in the deep by Danny Jones, helped to keep the home line-up in check, although a last-over blast of 23 pushed their final total up to 149 for 9.
Hill made it hard going for the visitors as Saleem (4 for 32) inparticular bowled a nagging line and length, but Prestwich still held the upper hand, even when Orrell was fifth man out for a determined 47. However, Thomas was dismissed for 27 and it sparked a spate of quick wickets, with Ali taking 4 for 57, and Ghulam Abbas taking the final wicket of Woodage in the last over, leaving Prestwich down and out on 141.
Second-placed Woodhouses also suffered defeat, leaving Prestwich still top, but Cheetham Hill closing the gap in third.
Prestwich face a trip to Denton St Lawrence on Saturday.
