CRICKET - Lancashire County League

With two balls remaining of the final over and Glossop's last pair at the wicket, a trap was set for professional Damien Eyre and his pull shot went straight into the palms of Paul Mercer at square leg.

Whilst the visitors were 45 runs adrift of table-topping Prestwich's daunting 229 target, keeping out Andy Bradley's last over would have earned them one point and restricted Prestwich to three.

But the wicket meant Prestwich grabbed all five points, allowing them to extend their lead at the top of the Lees Lancashire County League to seven, with Dukinfield taking over as their nearest pursuers.

Last Saturday's clash with fellow title challengers Glossop was a real test of character for the home side who had been given a drubbing at Denton St Lawrence the week before.

But they responded with a superb all-round display, and were full value for the margin of victory.

Pro Craig Duxbury continued his marvellous run of form with a fluent innings of 56, but he needed a big slice of luck before he had got off the mark. He cracked a ball to Wilson on the legside boundary, but the normally-reliable fielder spilled the chance.

Duxbury faced 69 balls in making his 50 but was dismissed when a powerful square cut was well caught by Bates, with the scoreboard showing 83 for 2.

His departure failed to stem the momentum as Ian Walker and captain Steve Orrell staged an exhilarating partnership of 85 in 18 overs.

Orrell was particularly severe on Eyre, striking him for eight boundaries before he was bowled by Kenyon for a spirited 43.

Walker struck seven fours and a six in reaching a fine half century, but when he was bowled trying to sweep Eyre for 55, both batsmen had departed with the score on 168.

There were questions to be asked of the middle order after last week's collapse, but their answer was emphatic as 61 runs were plundered off the last 9 overs.

Peter Walters struck a textbook straight drive before falling to a catch behind for 10, but Steven Lorenzini, with 25 from 25 balls, and Paul Mercer, unbeaten on 25 off a mere 14 balls, put on a superb exhibition of late-over batting.

Lorenzini picked up frequent singles amidst striking three fours, while Mercer was more bludgeoneous in his three fours, and scampered five twos with some excellent running between the pair.

Pace ace Chris Humphreys then spearheaded the Prestwich attack, but it was his partner Bradley who forced Wilde into a mistimed shot and he took a simple return catch with just 15 on the board.

Humphreys' slower delivery tempted the in-form John Stocks into a false shot and he was easily caught at point by Orrell.

When Shufflebottom was caught and bowled by Humphreys, making it 65 for 3, a lot rested on the shoulders of Stopford and Bates, and for a time they looked threatening, keeping up a scoring rate of around four an over.

But after making an unruffled 46, Stopford succumbed to the guile of Humphreys, dollying a catch to Alex Blake.

John Walters was introduced into the attack and in his fourth over beat Kenyon's bat and the umpire raised his finger for leg before wicket.

Walters then showed his athleticism with a fine stop off his own bowling and his smart throw to wicketkeeper Walker saw Bates run out by yards, for 45.

When Blackwood and Usher were prised out by Humphreys, giving him his third five-wicket haul of the season, survival was the name of Glossop's game at 148 for 8.

After Walters' tidy eight-over spell of 1 for 25, Bradley was brought back and he bowled a corker to dismiss Hartshorne when he felt it was safe to shoulder arms.

Humphreys completed an exhausting 25-over stint, rewarded with 5 for 75 and including 10 maidens, but it still left one wicket to get, and with Bradley's fifth delivery, jubilation in the Prestwich ranks broke out.