Brilliant centuries from Sean Haslam and Haris Aziz kept the Prestwich 2nd team’s flag flying in the cup.
Facing a Glossop side who had dished out a beating in the league, they turned the tables in emphatic fashion.
This was in no small part to Haslam, who smashed a sumptuous 124, and Aziz, who cracked an equally delectable 110. The duo shared a second wicket stand of 193, and both knocks were marginally better than a run a ball, to help rack up a total of 294 for 6, which was always going to be tough to pass.
In reply, Qasim Memon took 4 for 47 as the visitors were dismissed for 174.
Cup success was repeated the following day when the 3rd XI played in a 20-over game at Glodwick and emerged victorious by 109 runs. Joe Murphy (70) and skipper Mike Mangnall (78) were the backbone of the Prestwich total of 178 for 4.
Karl West, Alex Quigley and Angad Mehta all grabbed a brace to restrict Glodwick 3rd XI’s reply to 69.
It was a weekend to forget for Prestwich first team as they suffered a league defeat to reigning champions Egerton before crashing out of the Derek Kay 1st XI Per-Fit Cup to division two Westleigh.
In 2012, a film called Wreck It Ralph was released – and there was a remake made last Sunday when big hitting Craig Ralph wrecked Prestwich’s cup ambitions with 77 in only 42 balls.
The visiting Heys team made a disappointing total of 116, with the top five in the order all getting into double figures, but failing to capitalise. Ryan Stanbury was the top scorer with 31, while Andy Lloyd plundered 5 for 32 and Sean Makinson 4 for 29.
At 4 for 2, and 22 for 3, the home side potentially looked in a spot of bother, but Ralph proceeded to create mayhem, and after smashing six sixes and eight fours, Westleigh passed the required total in less than 18 overs without the loss of a further wicket.
On Saturday, Prestwich bowled well to reduce Egerton to 129 for 6, but a fighting seventh wicket partnership of 53 pushed the total up to 186 for 7. Captain Andy Bradley took the bowling spoils with 4 for 56.
The home side made steady progress to 80 for 2, with pro Gihahn Cloete making 29, but James Wharmby then became the first of Matt Parkinson’s four victims for 27 and a mix-up saw Mike Hudson run out for 25 when going well. Only two sixes from Sean Haslam (18 not out) gave any cheer as former Prestwich pro Amal Dalugoda turned on his slow left-arm magic to take 4 for 28, and Prestwich fell 37 runs short.
The 1st XI need to re-focus and regain their confidence to halt their recent slip down the table. The Premier Division remains wide open, and any team stringing a succession of wins together could easily find themselves back at the pinnacle.
To conclude last week’s games, Prestwich 2nd XI found themselves sniffing victory again, but were edged out by two wickets after posting a target of 188 against South West Manchester 1st XI. Oliver Holt made 63 and Adam Taylor 51. Holt then took 4 for 63, and skipper Pete Lorenzini 3 for 29, but an unbeaten 50 from Nana saw them across the line.
The cricket action begins tonight (Friday) when Prestwich 1st XI play the first of their T20 games away at Clifton. This is followed tomorrow by a trip to Walshaw in the league.
Prestwich 2nd XI are at home tomorrow to Hindley St Peters 1st XI, and the 3rd XI take a trip to Newton Heath, before returning to home turf on Sunday to welcome Denton 2nd XI to The Heys.
