Opening day jitters were confined to the chilly temperatures as Prestwich left rivals Glossop in the cold.
The Heys team warmed to the task with a superb eight-wicket victory over one of last season’s sternest rivals in the Lees Lancashire County League.
Prestwich debutant Wilf Reeve was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 32 as they restricted the home side to 155 for 6. James Wharmby’s unbeaten 63, and 69 from professional Carl Hey paved the path of victory, staging an unruffled second wicket partnership of 123 runs,
The game was reduced to a 46-over game due to early rain, but that was the only weather-instigated interruption, despite a brief blast of hailstone!
Reeve made an immediate impression with an outstanding middle order spell of bowling, as the Glossop opening duo had put on a solid stand of 86. He claimed the scalps of professional Lee Dale, bowling him for 42, and the dangerous Dale Pennington for 36, within the space of 11 runs.
Backed up by some excellent fielding – in which Tom Gibson was instrumental in two run-outs – and Hey bowling tightly in tandem with Reeve, Glossop struggled to accelerate in the latter overs, and the target was little more than three runs an over.
Despite the loss of Danny Jones with the score on 14, Wharmby and Hey had an answer for everything the home side could throw at them, using seven bowlers. With the score on 137, Hey was bowled by Alec Coates for 69, made up of 11 fours and a top-edged six over square leg. Wharmby carried his bat, hitting nine boundaries, while Sam Holden finished off the game with an exquisite cover drive for four.
On Sunday, Prestwich’s National Knockout Cup clash at Northern League side Leyland saw both the frustrating and thrilling side of the game, which finished in near darkness. The frustration was a four-hour wait for the rain to stop, yet the resultant 25-over game conspired to produce victory for Leyland by just one run.
The game had started on schedule and the home side had made 45 for 1 after 10 overs when rain swept in.
Skipper Andy Bradley had claimed the wicket of pro Luis Reece for 21 to an excellent athletic catch at mid-off by Holden. The home side set a target of 139 for 6, with Gibson and Bradley picking up a couple of wickets each.
In reply, Hey was again in excellent form and was the mainstay of the valiant Prestwich reply, hitting an unbeaten 58. Oliver Holt (19) and Steve Orrell (16) gave decent support in the latter overs but the run rate had risen to 10 an over with three overs remaining, at which point Leyland were penalised six runs for a slow over rate. The revised target, however, proved just too much, as Tom Scott’s two fours off the final two balls left them agonisingly short – especially as the home side had earlier not been called for a no-ball when they had too many players outside the fielding circle.
* Prestwich’s league season picks up speed this weekend with a double-header, away to Woodhouses on Saturday, and their first home game on Sunday against Roe Green. Both opponents also secured opening-day wins.
* Prestwich second team also got off to a flyer with victory over a strong Glossop 2nd eleven, with a half century from Jamie McAndrew.
