One of their traditionally most challenging away trips of the season saw Prestwich tough it out for victory.
Joint league leaders Denton St Lawrence suffered a 40-run defeat on their home turf, thanks to a gargantuan second half display, led by frontline bowling duo Andy Bradley and Danny Jones.
Sam Holden had earlier cracked a superb 61, and Sam “played it again” the following day with an innings of 68 as Prestwich progressed to the second round of the Walkden Cup, knocking out Thornham by a 149-run margin.
But it was Saturday’s visit to Sycamore Park which saw the Heys team exhibit the intensity and determination needed to overcome a strong DSL side.
Batting first, James Wharmby and Jones both made solid starts, but equally, both faltered on 19, and when the veteran Mike Batty flicked the off stump bail of Matt Wiley for 8, Holden stood up to the challenge on a far from stroke-inducive wicket.
Picking his shots carefully, Holden smashed five fours and four sixes, taking the total past the 100-mark for no further loss, with Chris Thomas as a willing ally.
But with the score on 129 for 3, even the fleet-footed Thomas failed to scamper a quick single as Ebbrell ran him out with a direct throw for 7, in a partnership worth 65.
Without further addition, Holden was deceived a ball of minimal bounce from Batty, for an otherwise unblemished 61, made in 56 balls. A mini-slump ensued as another two wickets fells for two runs. At 131 for 7, skipper Steven Lorenzini and teenager Tom Gibson steadied the rocking Prestwich boat with an intelligent stand of 31, only ending with a rash call from the skipper and Gibson was comfortably run out.
Lorenzini was last man out for a worthy 24, pumping up the total to a reasonable 174, given the pitch conditions. Batty fully exploited the wicket and returned admirable figures of 5 for 43 from 18 overs.
The DSL reply was met by the two-pronged attack of Jones and Bradley, who bowled unbroken throughout, as they kept a vice-like grip on the scoring rate.
Indeed, Bradley earned an early bonus when his first delivery – a half tracker – saw DSL skipper Adam Hawley rifle the ball to Thomas on the deep square boundary, who took a neat catch low to the ground.
Ryan Welsh was by outdone Jones, thanks to a smart catch at first slip from Gibson, to make it 19 for 2.
Imran Mirza and Matt Hawley began to piece together a partnership but after 20 overs, Prestwich had kept the score to 36, under two runs over.
When Hawley was l.b.w. for 10, the 30-over mark saw DSL still in a stranglehold at 77 for 3, with skipper Lorenzini rightly refusing to give the home batsmen any respite, as Bradley and Jones dug deep into their reserves.
The arrival of the big hitting Steve Dublin at the crease was going to be pivotal, but after he had deposited one ball over the boundary fence, Jones exacted revenge and bowled him.
Mirza dug in determinedly and reached 50, and was the main threat. He survived a chance to Steve Orrell at long-on, who plucked the ball out of the air but landed on the rope, allowing Mirza six runs. However, a few deliveries later, Bradley trapped him l.b.w. for 61, and Prestwich closed in on victory.
Each completing 25-over spells, Bradley 6 for 52, and Jones 3 for 75, deserved all the plaudits, but were superbly backed up by their colleagues in the field. The only slight dampener was that DSL’s last pair could not be budged and hung on for one point, and Prestwich had to settle for four.
On Sunday, the Heys team rattled up a total 264 in 50 overs, with a steadfast batting performance – and a familiar face back in the line-up.
Andy Taylor, a member of the 2007 cup and league winning side, made his 2102 debut after re-signing for the club.
Holden’s second creditable innings of the weekend, was backed up by 45 from Jones, 40 from Lorenzini, an unbeaten 34 from Oliver Holt, 27 from Thomas, and 19 not out from Orrell, including a six off the penultimate ball onto the clubhouse roof.
The visitors were reliant on professional Ahmad who batted powerfully for 51, but wickets were attained at regular intervals as Jones (one) and Bradley (two) – probably grateful for the 10-over restriction – added to their seasonal tallies.
Taylor marked his first outing with 2 for 25, from seven overs, while Holden picked up the prized wicket of Ahmad.
However, Elliot Woodage grabbed the headline figures of 4 for 7, with some late order scalps as Thornham’s reply ended on 115.
A league double header confronts Prestwich this weekend, with Dukinfield the visitors to The Heys on Saturday, before they make the short journey to Cheetham Hill on Sunday.
* Mixed fortunes hit Prestwich 2nd XI as Haris Aziz cracked an unbeaten 70 and Lewis Smith made 34 to bypass the 156-run target set by last year’s champions.
But Hulme Cup interest ended on Sunday despite a spirited knock of 50 from Jon O’Connor. The Prestwich total of 106 was comfortably overhauled by Thornham for the loss of three wickets.
Match Photo’s – Prestwich 1XI v Thornham
