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2XI CLAIM HAT-TRICK OF TITLES
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Written by Andy Bradley
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Monday, 22 September 2008 |
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 After days (and nights) of mopping up the Second XI made it a hat-trick of Division Two titles on Saturday. Luke O'Brien was the star with the bat scoring a fluent 65 whilst Andy Bradley grabbed 5 wickets.
Big thanks to Ian Wright, Brian Lorenzini, John Haslam, Andy Taylor and Phil Bradley for their tireless efforts to get the ground playable and give the lads the opportunity to create this little bit of history.
To cap a good day for the club, the First XI secured the final Lancashire Cup place for the 2009 season.
Prestwich Cricket Club ended a rain-ravaged season on a high when the second team retained their league title and the first team secured a place in the Lancashire Cup.
The seconds needed to beat Dukinfield to secure the division two championship and an eight-wicket victory handsomely did the trick.
On an understandably damp Heys wicket, Dukinfield were restricted to 135 for 9, with skipper Andy Bradley claiming 5 for 40 from an unbroken 25-over stint, and vice captain Peter Lorenzini chipping in with three wickets.
The Taylor brothers made a solid, sensible start to the run chase. Mike had made 25 before falling with the score on 30.
However, David carried on in determined style, being joined by Luke O’Brien.
O’Brien struck an eye-catching 65 and was bowled within nine runs of victory.
Dave Taylor was the perfect foil, remaining unbeaten on 39 as the team overhauled the target without any dramas.
The second team league title comes on the back of being joint winners of the Hulme Trophy, after the final was aborted due to constant weather-induced postponements.
Indeed, the first team were able to witness the seconds execute their title-winning shots after they made short work of beating Dukinfield at their ground.
The home side could only muster a total of 80 with Phil Kyle grabbing 4 for 28, Chris Humphreys 2 for 7 and Oliver Holt 2 for 13.
The match also marked Sam Holden’s inaugural over at first team level and it proved to be a very productive one, taking the wicket of Mayne with his second ball.
He later had Wood caught at slip by Hudson to finish with figures of 2 for 10.
Wicketkeeper Ian Walker also had a good day behind the stumps, taking three catches which took him to 250 victims for the club.
It wasn’t all plain sailing in reply as Prestwich lost half their batsmen in surpassing the total. Mike Hudson was bowled for 15, although it brought him past the 500-mark for the season.
First team debutant Tom Gibson came to the wicket and got off the mark with two runs from his second ball and looked assured before he got a leading edge and skied the ball to Dukinfield skipper Dave Gandy for 5.
Chris Thomas stroked a superb six over deep mid-off but fell to a well-taken catch at point by Coulding for 17.
Walker made 12 before giving a return catch to Wood, and although Richard Scargill was trapped l.b.w. second ball, Steve Orrell and Pete Walters, who equalled the Thomas shot with a straight six over the bowler’s head, ensured there were no more hiccups.
Prestwich first team can reflect on a disappointing season after such a outstanding 2007 when they won the league and cup double. However, they managed to finish in fifth place to grab the last available spot for Lancashire Cup qualification.
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