CRICKET - Prestwich CC: INCREDIBLE. That's probably the only word that can sum up Prestwich's season so far - and their game against bottom-placed Thornham last Saturday.

The BBC's top producers could not dream up the drama that has unfolded in recent weeks.

Thornham - without a win all season - claimed the league leader's scalp in a game which was in grave doubt because of torrential rain over the previous 48 hours.

But after cordoning off some waterlogged boundary edges, a 20-over game was playable and the home side raced to 123 for 2. Prestwich then failed to score a run in the first three overs of their reply and lost three frontline batsman.

Amazingly, they went on to have five run outs in their innings but still nearly snatched victory with a big-hitting blast from Andy Bradley.

Prestwich were an agonising seven runs short when Thornham claimed the last wicket with four balls to go.

However, in another remarkable twist, Prestwich remain top of the Lancashire County League by the slender one point margin they held going into the match.

For almost every time Prestwich have slipped up, their nearest pursuers Denton St Lawrence have failed to capitalise.

When you consider it was the fifth game Prestwich have lost in the last over in the second half of the season, you can almost here Jim Bowen echoing in the eardrums "look what you could have won".

But despite their frustration in these tight-knit finishes, Prestwich have also shown a commendable doggedness to keep their noses in front, considering half of the side is made up of players under the age of 21.

Thornham's total was led by skipper Phil Sutcliffe who rode his luck early on with to smash 57, and given excellent support from John Willman (34) and an unbeaten 31 by Ian Thompson. Alex Blake grabbed the two wickets to fall.

After the loss of Paul Mercer , Craig Duxbury and returning skipper Steve Orrell without a run on the board, Ian Walker got the runs column going with 26 and Chris Humphreys played a fine 28 off 22 balls before being one of the run out victims.

Steve Lorenzini chipped in with a run-a-ball 19, but victory looked forlorn until Bradley came to the wicket and hit 6,6,4,6 in successive balls, to send the cows in the nearby field scattering and turning the game on its head.

That diminished the target to 14 off two overs, with two wickets remaining.

Five runs were scored off the penultimate over, but another run out - the fifth of the innings - left nine runs wanted.

With five balls to go, last man Blake was bowled by Ian Heywood and Prestwich were seven runs adrift , with the gallant Bradley undefeated on 28.

With four games left, Prestwich have both their closest pursuers to play. And the destiny of the league title will sway one way or the other on Saturday - weather permitting - when Denton St Lawrence visit the Heys.

Somehow, there could be a few more twists and turns yet in Prestwich's season.