ROE, ROE, ROW YOUR BOAT…

THE cricket season for Prestwich finished as it started – in the pouring rain.

The plug was pulled on their final game at Roe Green when a deluge typical of this summer arrived just as the home side were about to start chasing Prestwich’s target of 151.

Back in April, Prestwich’s opening two league games were washed out.

However, the weather didn’t “rain” on Prestwich’s parade as they already had the Lees Lancashire County League title wrapped up for the second year.

The final standings showed the Heys side were six points clear of the nearest rivals, Denton St Lawrence, having lost just four league games. The Roe Green washout was their eighth abandonment of the rain-savaged season.

Only 41 overs were played last Sunday, as Prestwich recovered from 100 for 8 to 151 for 8, thanks to an unbeaten 31 from Tom Gibson and 19 not out from captain Steven Lorenzini, who left his mark in his farewell innings with an extravagant shot for six over extra cover in the last over.

Lorenzini’s work move to London meant it was his final appearance in a Prestwich shirt, as it was for Australian Matt Wiley, who was ending his two-year association with the club, having been one of the side’s major runscorers.

The club’s leading wicket-taker Andy Bradley will take over as first team skipper.

* Prestwich 2nd team cemented third place in division two, losing four wickets in overhauling the 71-run target set by Roe Green 2nds just before a major downpour swamped the ground.