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".