The 3rd team’s unbeaten league start to the season continued while the 1st team lost their bearings at West and the 2nd team were outshone by the United Stars.
The first XI were then defeated on Sunday by one of the leading sides in the region, suffering a nine-wicket demise to Ormskirk in the National Knockout first round.
Saturday rivals Denton West boasted three wins out of three ahead of Prestwich’s visit to Windsor Park, having been promoted last year. The Tameside outfit avenged last year’s cup final defeat by recording a 53-run victory after reaching a total of 214 all out.
The game in itself had a few surprising elements. Top score in the whole game was a mere 33 from West’s Rohail Nazir, while the match signalled the hitherto unheralded return of Ryan Stanbury. It was Stanbury (3-37) and an excellent 15-over spell from Nathan Bailey (2-34) who stymied the West higher order, reducing them to 63 for 5 and then 109-6. Shivam Chauhan and Andy Bradley also took two wickets apiece. However, very useful late order knocks elevated the innings above the 200-mark.
Skipper James Wharmby made 30, but that was the peak of Prestwich’s powers. At one stage, they mirrored West’s position of 105-6, but there was not as much tail wagging (Aaryaman Roy 19, Ryan Maddock 12) to match West for whom Jordan Williams starred, taking 4 for 60.
On Sunday, Zahir Shehzad took 5 for 21 as Prestwich mustered 108 which Ormskirk surpassed with ease for the loss of one wicket.
The only bright note was Prestwich Heat starting off their T20 campaign with an 8-wicket win over Woodbank Wildboyz last Thursday. Woodbank made 122 all out (Bailey 3-14) before Chauhan (37 not out), Stanbury (36) and Danny Pawson (30) reached the target with more than 7 overs to spare.
• The 2nds could only post a target of 116 at home to United Stars despite 44 from opener Lewis Smith. The visitors comfortably made 117-4 with Adam Cheshire taking 3-34.
• A total of 187-6 set by the 3rd team was enough to secure the points at Whalley Range 3rds on Sunday.
Opener Dylan Kane (pictured) cracked 66, having put 43 on for the first wicket with Charlie Jackson before he was run out for 14.
Thomas Orrell (33), Finlay Lester (24), and Ali Sherazi (22 not out) all boosted the innings.
Fine spells from Karl West (3-15) and Muhammad Arif (3-33) curtailed the Range reply and they were dismissed for 117, making the 3rds the early pacesetters in the Sunday Premier division.
• The 4th team’s friendly at Mottram also reaped good reward, with a convincing win. Martin Regan (47), Ellis Compton (44), Jack Fisher (31) contributed well to a total of 195 all out.
Mottram were bowled out for 61 thanks to Thomas Hatchett (3-19), Dave Eckersley (2-6), Simon Jackson (2-15), Daisy Hunt (1-6 off 7 overs) and Anis Khaliq (1-4).
HEAT v WILDBOYZ GALLERY
DENTON WEST v PRESTWICH GALLERY
