PRESTWICH became Walkden Cup wonders for the third time in recent history with revenge on rivals Woodhouses.

Having lost out in a thriller last year, the Heys team turned the tables on Sunday with a 69-run victory to keep their ambition of winning the league and cup double alive and kicking.

Twenty-two-year-old Steven Lorenzini, in his first year as captain, proudly held aloft the trophy at 7.45pm.

It was a power-paced performance from Prestwich during which they had to dig deep and demonstrate they had the nerve and steel to battle through tricky situations.

At 112 for 6, Chris Thomas and Chris Humphreys shared in a 48-run stand in eight overs to steady the ship and ultimately set up a total of 202 for 8.

Then in reply, after a three-wicket opening burst from Andy Taylor which helped reduce Woodhouses to 24 for 4, Fraser Quarterman and Phil Sutcliffe looked to be turning the tide with an 89-run partnership before Duxbury trapped Quarterman l.b.w. and that took the stuffing out the Woodhouses fightback.

Mike Hudson top-scored with an excellent 52, but Humphreys, celebrating his 36th birthday, was voted man of the match with a typical all-action performance, scoring a vital 23 not out, grabbing 2 for 15 and taking three catches.

After such a rain-lashed summer, the sun enticed a big crowd to The Heys as Prestwich sought to add to their cup victories in 2000 and 2002.

Lornezini won the toss when it counted and elected to bat, and three early boundaries from pro Craig Duxbury helped rattle the score up to 25 in the first five overs.

But Chris Atherton hit back as Duxbury fell l.b.w for 12, but Hudson, buoyed by an innings of 75 the day before, and Ian Walker, set about building a solid foundation.

At 86 for 1, that appeared to be going without too many hiccups until Walker's pull was well caught by Joe Wolfenden on the square leg boundary, off Dougie Sloan, for 30.

That sparked a mid-innings wobble as Steve Orrell and Pete Walters quickly followed without troubling the scoring column.

Having reached a well-deserved half century, containing seven fours, disaster struck as Thomas's belated call to Hudson left him high and dry, and he was run out.

When Mike Cassidy claimed Lorenzini's wicket, the Humphreys-Thomas partnership came to the fore, during which Sutcliffe received a nasty blow on the leg as he got in the way of a powerful Thomas drive, and he had to be helped off the field.

Thomas took 14 off one Wolfenden over, making 37 before young Oliver Holt came to the wicket, and showed no nerves on the big occasion.

After a rasping shot for four through mid-on, he hoisted a six onto the tennis courts before Halley found him out with a slower delivery, and he was bowled for 20.

Meanwhile, Humphreys chipped away, using his experience to hold the innings together, and included an exquisite extra cover drive for four which was not bettered throughout the day.

The total peaked above the 200-mark leaving the home side satisfied with their first-half work.

A revved-up Taylor made the early breakthrough Prestwich desired, tempting Atherton into a drive and he was caught at second slip by Humphreys.

The birthday boy had Dan Britten caught by wicketkeeper Walker for a duck three balls later, and Taylor trapped James Clarke l.b.w. for nought.

Then Taylor inflicted a major blow as Cassidy, who had struck four confident-looking boundaries, misjudged his delivery, played no shot, and found the ball rocking back his off stump.

It was then that the bruised Sutcliffe and pro Quaterman dug in to give their side hope, in the face of some tight Prestwich bowling, with Holt bowling a fine six-over spell to keep the pressure on the visitors.

The Woodhouses score began to gain momentum as the ailing Sutcliffe called for a more lithe runner, allowing some quick singles to be taken.

There were echoes of last year's remarkable recovery starting to fester as the duo pushed the score beyond the 100-mark.
It was Duxbury's last ball of his hitherto fruitless spell that caused the damage as Quarterman was l.b.w for 44, starting a domino effect.

Captain Alan Starmer got a leading edge as Phil Kyle grabbed the first of his three successive wickets, Humphreys taking the straightforward catch.

Kyle removed the dogged Sutcliffe for 41 with a lifting delivery that was superbly snatched by Walker stood up to the wicket.

The Kyle-Humphreys combination saw Gareth Halley dismissed for 0, and Walters removed Gary Tuson first ball with a fine running catch at deep cover by Thomas.

Fittingly, Humphreys sparked the celebrations by pinning Wolfenden l.b.w and silverware was back in the Prestwich trophy cabinet.

On Saturday, Prestwich maintained their six-point lead in the Lees Lancashire County League with a hard-fought victory at Flowery Field.

On a good batting strip, the Heys team piled up a commanding 250 for 3, with excellent innings from Duxbury 77, Hudson 75, and 53 not out from Walters - his third successive unbeaten half century. Thomas also made 23 as an imposing total was set.

At 99 for 1, the home side were in with every chance of chasing down the target, but Duxbury bowled Mark Dyson for 23 and despite 64 from Quinn, Prestwich always held the upper hand from thereon in.

Indeed, Duxbury's 16-over spell prospered 5 for 47, with spin partner Walters picking up two wickets.

A late wicket from Kyle and a run out instigated by the prowling athleticism of Thomas left Prestwich in with a chance of claiming all 10 Flowery wickets, but their last pair held out to deprive them of a point.

Nearest challengers Denton St Lawrence and Cheetham Hill also could only claim four points, so the status quo remained at the top of the league.

* It's the turn of Prestwich 2nd XI to bid for cup glory this Sunday when they compete in their sixth successive Hulme Trophy Final.

New skipper Andy Bradley will lead his side out at Denton West, hoping to make make it five cup victories out of six, their only defeat coming last year to Dukinfield.

The team overcame Flowery Field last Saturday to keep their healthy lead at the top of division two.

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