A BRILLIANT innings of 92 from teenager James Wharmby guided Prestwich to a four-wicket triumph.
The youngster took the Heys side to the verge of victory as they hunted down Denton’s total of 177.
With the scores level, he was denied unbeaten status when he was outdone by a low-bouncing delivery.
But it was a excellent day all round for the 18-year-old as he also played a crucial part in the dismissal of Dutch international Michael Swart.
The Denton professional had made a forceful 28 when the diving Wharmby clasped onto a steepling catch on the square leg boundary to give Andy Bradley his first wicket of the new campaign.
The home side found wickets hard to come by as Martin Leach (28) Jamie Garde (39) helped take the score to 126 for 3.
But persistence from Prestwich pro Danny Jones, off a shortened run, paid off as he bowled Leach and had Muhammad caught by Tom Gibson, before he was also responsible for a direct hit to put an end to Garde’s stay.
Oliver Holt was introduced into the attack and made three quick strikes into the Denton middle order for a return of 3 for 37, but a score of around 200 was still viable, before Jones returned to the attack and ended a spritely innings of 40 from Karl Taylor.
He then uprooted the stumps of tailenders Holmes and Addison to curtail their innings at 177, finishing with a commendable 5 for 46 off 16.3 overs.
The Prestwich reply was solid with openers Jones and Wharmby passing 50 with few alarms, before Swart had his opposing number l.b.w. for 23.
Wharmby and Matt Wiley flourished with a partnership of 88, Wiley thrice putting the ball into the boundary trees.
Wharmby gave the short ball short shrift, also striking three sixes in his innings lasting 160 balls, and two-and-a-half hours at the crease.
The stand was broken when Wiley slipped up as he called for a quick single and was run out for 37.
A trio of quick wickets followed as Sam Holden, dropped once at deep square leg, repeated the dose and was caught second time round, while Steven Lorenzini was run out, and Holt well caught at mid-wicket. But the wobble was only minor as Wharmby and Chris Thomas cracked a couple of boundaries each.
Thomas was on hand to dab home the winning single to give Prestwich a maximum five-point haul and get their season rolling, following the abandonment of their first two Lees Lancashire County League games.
Prestwich face a trip to local rivals Stand on Saturday, before hosting Irlam on Sunday.
* Despite a six-wicket haul by Damon Montgomery, Prestwich 2nd XI managed only 84 in pursuit of a 141-run target at Denton 2nds.
Match Photo’s – Prestwich 1XI v Denton
