Happy bowl out to you!

Setting your alarm clock for a morning bowl-out will not be on many cricketing CVs.

So it was slightly unreal that five players from Prestwich and five from their opponents Orrell Red Triangle assembled at The Heys at 10.30am for the lottery of a bowl-out.

With the persistent stubbornness of the rainy weather ruling both grounds unplayable, combined with the rigid deadlines of the Lancashire Cup, an outcome was required today.

Each player had two attempts to hit the stumps, and at the halfway stage, the visitors led 2-0 and Prestwich were chasing rainbows.

Nathan Bailey then struck the poles to pull it back to 2-1, but Orrell answered with another strike to make it 3-1. Charlie Jackson crashed into the stumps to reduce the deficit to 3-2 and last man Ryan Maddock was left needing to hit to make it 3-3 and take the game to sudden death – and he duly clattered into the leg stump.

Andy Bradley, having celebrated his 50th birthday this week, then strode forward to coolly deliver the knockout blow, striking the middle stump to make it 4-3 for Prestwich.

There was no celebration, no pot of gold, but a respectful shake of hands.

Hats off to Orrell Red Triangle, who made the 60-mile round journey and best wishes go to them for a successful season.

Prestwich now face a trip to GMCL rivals Flowery Field next Sunday in the next round, and the prospect of another early alarm call if the weather doesn’t improve.