Captain Steven Lorenzini lifted aloft the league trophy to put the seal on a unique double for Prestwich Cricket Club.
The 27-year-old had steered the first team to back-to-back Lees Lancashire County League titles for the first time.
Their other championship titles came in 2004 and in 2007 – Lorenzini’s inaugural year at the helm, when the side also won the Walkden Cup.
It was an emotional celebration as the trophy presentation, made after their final home game of the season, also marked Lorenzini’s farewell appearance on his home ground.
A move to London for career reasons means he won’t be playing at The Heys next year.
Lorenzini, who made his first team debut in 2000 at the age of 15, said: “I am particularly proud of this success as this is the first time Prestwich 1st X1 has ever retained any trophy. It’s a sign of skill and mental strength which I am proud to say we have in droves.”
He spent five years as skipper, having taken over from Steve Orrell in 2007, although he missed one year through injury, and he is also captain of the League side.
He added: “It has meant the world to me to lead Prestwich for five seasons and to win the title three times in those seasons is something that will stay with me forever.
“I can genuinely say that I have lived and breathed Prestwich cricket through the whole time I have been with the first team and I am absolutely gutted to be letting it go, but I know I have to do it.”
Last Saturday’s game against Glossop, for so long their nearest challengers for the title, was always going to be a celebratory feast, Prestwich having clinched the championship with their victory at Stretford the previous week.
What it also provided was a feast of runs as almost 600 were scored on a batsmen-friendly wicket.
Glossop, despite a recent dip in form, certainly joined in the party spirit to the extent they staged one the biggest-ever run chases at The Heys as part of a marvellous spectacle of attacking cricket.
Prestwich had amassed a daunting 289 for 7 from their 50 overs, but the visitors spectacularly overhauled it with seven balls to spare.
Home professional Danny Jones led the run spree with a magnificent 121 – but he was matched by his Glossop counterpart Lee Dale, who cracked an equally brutal 109.
Jones has been imperious form for much of the season, and gave his side another fluent start, leading the way in a 75-run stand with opening partner James Wharmby.
Wharmby was l.b.w. for 13, bringing Matt Wiley to the crease, and he looked in equally good nick, clocking up a run-a-ball 37, before hesitancy over a single resulted in him being adjudged run out.
The Jones blitz continued and he reached his century from 96 balls. He smashed 12 fours and seven sixes before he was caught by Dale for his highest Prestwich score of 121.
Lorenzini was caught off a leading edge for 1 and Tom Gibson soon followed l.b.w for 0, which saw 183 for 2 become 193 for 5.
But Stretford hero Sam Holden carved out another fine innings of 46, the only surprise being there were no sixes amongst his seven boundaries.
Chris Thomas added 11 in partnership with Holden, but when both were dismissed, Oliver Holt went run crazy in the final overs, cracking an unbeaten 32 from just 17 balls. Aided by two sweeps for four from Orrell, Holt’s fireworks sparked 32 runs from the last two overs.
Dale and Oliver Kenyon put on 45 for the first Glossop wicket until Jones’s switch from pace to spin paid off with his very first ball, when Kenyon gave a return catch for 10.
But a match-winning partnership between Lee Dale and Dale Pennington blossomed to the tune of 151, and although the required run rate went above six an over, the Prestwich attack, missing the guile of leading wicket-taker Andy Bradley, found them hard to budge.
Dale notched up his ton in 89 balls, and was finally claimed by Andy Taylor for 109, thanks to a tumbling catch by Thomas at deep mid-off, who had an outstanding day in the field.
Pennington racked up a impressive 72, but Taylor found his edge for Gibson to snap up a catch at gully, and a chink of light opened up for the home side.
Gibson bowled a good spell, despite not gaining a wicket, and when Steve Bates and John Stopford both fell to the re-introduced Jones, the destiny of the game at 235 for 4 was still in the balance.
However, Will Hargreaves wasted no time in striking a fine unbeaten 34 from 23 balls, to reach the target and demonstrate why they had pushed Prestwich hard throughout the year.
The curtain comes down on Prestwich’s season with their last league fixture on Sunday, away at Roe Green.
