A THIRD successive last over defeat left league leaders Prestwich down, but not out.

They still remain top of the Lees Lancashire County League, but their lead has now been eroded to four points after an agonising three-run loss.

The fate of their last five games has been decided off the last or penultimate ball of the match.

But the last three thrillers have given Prestwich a nasty ending and reigning champions Denton West were the latest to inflict a title body blow.

Prestwich had looked to be on track to overhaul West's total of 186-8.

At one stage they were 105-1, but four run-outs contributed to a slump which left seven runs required off the last over, and the target proved out of reach.

Chris Humphreys was the outstanding Prestwich performer as the home side batted first.

Not fully fit, he bowled unbroken for 25 overs, taking 6-82 in a vintage display of controlled bowling. It was his 25th five-wicket haul for the club.

It kept the West line-up in check as the run rate was kept below four an over, and both Alex Blake and John Walters bowled good supporting stints.

Humphreys drew the prolific Zaman into a airbound cover drive which was snapped up by Steve Orrell at cover with the score on 11.

Barrie Williams and Scott Kirwin took the score to 90 when Blake made the important breakthrough, having youngster Kirwin well caught by wicketkeeper Ian Walker down the legside for a competent 44.

Blake conceded just 19 runs in his seven-over spell as West were looking to put the foot on the accelerator. They got little change at the other end as Humphreys started to make inroads.

Berry was caught by Peter Walters on the mid-on boundary for 25, and Mike Hudson took an excellent diving catch at backward point to dismiss Bandaratilake for 6.

A brilliant legside stumping by Walker saw the end of West's powerhouse skipper Gareth Senior for 13 and John Walters bowled O'Brien for a duck to gain just reward for his seven-over spell.

A late blast from Steve Hague (31 not out) pepped up the home side's score.

Prestwich made a solid but slow start, making 29 off the first 14 overs before pro Craig Duxbury was caught by wicketkeeper Hague for 22 off Mike Batty's bowling.

A 68-run partnership between Walker and the impressive Hudson was broken up by Zaman when Walker edged to Hague for 32.

Hudson reached his first fifty of the season with an innings of growing maturity, playing some fine strokes and hitting 10 boundaries in his 57 before he was bowled trying to sweep the Sri Lankan pro Bandaratilake.

A rate of five runs an over was now needed, and as Prestwich tried to raise the tempo, wickets began to fall frequently.

Orrell was run out for 15 with the score on 137, and another three run outs then followed, including that of Steven Lorenzini for 18, dismissed by a direct hit from Bandaratilake with Prestwich just nine runs short of their target.

John Walters was caught on the deep mid-on boundary off his first ball, and despite the efforts of last pair Humphreys and Blake, West took the spoils.