PRESTWICH blew the race for the Lees Lancashire County League title wide open when they spoiled Denton's unbeaten record.

The Heys outfit were in top gear for this vital clash and amassed a total of 213 for 7 before routing the home side for 155, having had them at 79 for 8 at one stage.

Chris Humphreys was the chief destroyer with a superb haul of 7 for 70, taking him to 50 wickets at exactly the halfway stage in the season, but there were 10 other willing accomplices in this triumph

It was also sweet revenge for Prestwich who had been given the runaround in the Walkden Cup when Denton had racked up a huge score of 300.

Skipper Steve Orrell won the toss and decided to bat, much to the liking of openers Craig Duxbury and Steve Davies who responded with half centuries.

Duxbury dominated an opening stand of 77, striking a chanceless 50, with 10 boundaries, before he was caught at point by Walker.

A more circumspect Davies began to open up, signalled with a superb legside pickup for six, before Andrew Neill bowled him for 54.

Ian Walker kept up the tempo with a fluent 32 as together with Mike Hudson 41 runs were added in little more than six overs. Both batsmen reached milestones as Walker passed the 4,000-run mark for the club whilst Hudson notched up his 1,000th.

Hudson's innings of 32 in 35 balls was arguably the best of the day as he drove his first ball exquisitely to the long-off boundary, and carried on in a similar positive vein, adding two straight sixes in the process. With a late flourish of wickets in the dash for quick runs, Prestwich still managed a satisfactory total on a wicket which had some life in it for the bowlers.

Andy Bradley and Humphreys then exploited the conditions to the full with superb opening spells which left Denton deflated.

Bradley's opening 11-over salvo of 2 for 21 was his best of the season, rarely erring in line and length, and extracting bounce with which no batsman felt comfortable.

Martin Neill was his first victim as Hudson showed amazing athleticism to pluck the ball out of the air at backward point as the ball looked to be sailing over his spikey head.

"Bradders" then struck a major blow to the opposition as the free-scoring Shafiq, having twice rocketed the ball into the sightscreen off Humphreys, was caught down the legside by Walker for 24, to make the score on 50 for 3.

Humphreys, having started the wickets rolling by snaring Martin Leech with a snick to Walker, then got a delivery to lift and Kaushal chopped it onto his stumps for 12.

The paceman then removed dangermen Walker, lbw playing no shot, and Abbas, caught by slipfielder Duxbury, in successive balls. Andy Leech was outdone by another Humphreys corker, edging into Walkers gloves, and Oliver Holt claimed the eighth wicket to fall as Walker snapped up his fourth catch to dismiss Maqsood.

Holt's five-over spell of 1 for 13 was another creditable effort from the youngster.

Tim Standing then led a stubborn rearguard action in company with Al-Imam, forging a partnership of 63 which began to frustrate the visitors.

However Humphreys was reintroduced to the attack after a short rest and with his first ball Bradley took a smart catch at long leg, and Standings resistance was ended for a plucky 44.

Humphreys then bowled Neill to claim his seventh wicket and Prestwich now lie in fourth place, six points behind Denton.