CRICKET - Prestwich CC

A double defeat left leaders Prestwich in the doldrums - until they learned the chasing pack had failed to cash in.

The Heys side is still eight points clear at the top of the Lancashire County League, despite being on the wrong end of two nail-biting finishes.

Going into the weekend with a nine-point cushion, they had a great opportunity to extend their lead when rain forced most matches on Saturday to be called off.

Irlam's ground dried out remarkably well and a 22-over game was possible.

However, Prestwich managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory after needing just six runs off the last two overs, and falling one run short.

The visitors had done well to restrict Irlam to 98-8, particularly when prolific bowler Chris Humphreys had to limp off the field with a hamstring injury.

However, Andy Bradley continued his run of form with the ball, taking four vital wickets for 44 runs in his 11-over spell.

Irlam raced to 19 off the first two overs as Ahmed clattered18 off just nine balls.

But 19-0 became 19-2 when Steve Orrell's tumbling catch at deep square leg dismissed Ahmed, and Alex Blake held a comfortable catch at first slip to see Castle depart off the bowling of Humphreys, just before his injury struck.

With Chris Thomas swooping to run out leading batsman Rana, wickets fell at regular intervals, and young Irlam skipper Chris Hilton top scored with 22.

Blake replaced Humphreys and bowled well, rewarded with the wicket of Parkinson caught by wicketkeeper Ian Walker, and he finished with a return of 1-25.

Openers Mike Hudson and Craig Duxbury did not find it easy against the opening salvo of Rick Blackman and Manny Khan, but grittily stuck to the task to compile a 57-run partnership.

Duxbury made 35 before Ahmed took an excellent catch at deep mid-off. Hudson made 27 before he was bowled by Khan with 11 runs needed off 14 balls.

Incoming batsman Orrell hit his first delivery for three and Walker the next ball for two to leave a mere six wanted from 12 balls.

But that's when the Prestwich pear started to go badly out of shape.

Orrell was caught behind by the diving wicketkeeper Parkinson two balls later, and only one run was mustered off the remaining four balls.

With Khan steaming in for the final over, Matt Walsh was bowled off the third ball, and Walker was still stranded at the non-striker's end.

Bradley carved a single off the fifth ball to leave Walker needing a four off the final delivery, but only a scampered two to deep mid-off was managed.

Humphreys was unfit to play the following day when the Heys side met fourth-placed Woodhouses.

Batting first, Hudson and Duxbury both departed with the score on 24, but Walker and Orrell stabilised the shaky scoreboard with a stand of 58.

But when Walker swept and got a top edge from a sweep off spinner Chris Reeves for 22, a middle order collapse set in, seeing Prestwich plummet from 82-2 to 121-8.

Only skipper Steve Orrell stood defiant, striking two sixes and six fours in a grafted innings of 56 before he was bowled to leave the score on 127-9.

However, a superb late surge sparked by John Walters, who hammered a quickfire 30 off 27 balls -- with two sixes and two fours -- catapulted the total to a respectable 159. Blake played his part with a sensible supporting role to add 32 for the last wicket.

The spin duo of Reeves (5-31) and Mike Cassidy (2-41) did the main damage for Woodhouses.

The visitors' opening duo Clarke and Britton shared a 53-run stand before it was ended with the introduction of teenage spinner Peter Walters. Clarke pulled his first ball to Orrell at mid-wicket for 22.

An excellent throw from Matt Walsh ran out Britton for 44, sparking a fall of three wickets within the space of 14 runs. Duxbury bowled Hammond for 25 and Bradley trapped Cassidy lbw. to leave the visitors on 118-4, and Prestwich's hopes were raised.

But Woodhouses, needing 35 from 10 overs, edged nearer and whittled the rate down to four runs off the last two overs.

When Duxbury bowled a maiden -- finishing with a commendable 1-48 off 18 overs -- the tension heightened and Prestwich were hoping for a role reversal from the day before.

Three singles came from the first four balls of Bradley's over to tie the scores, before Scott Webb hit the winning run.

Prestwich's disappointment was mellowed by news that Irlam had continued their good form by beating second-placed Denton St Lawrence.

A visit to Denton West is next on the agenda, where victory is imperative to stop the reigning champions getting back into the title hunt.

There was no better news for Prestwich 2nd and 3rds teams. The 2nd XI were trounced by 9 wickets in a 20-over game on Saturday and beaten by 87 runs against table-topping Woodhouses on Sunday. But a below-strength 3rd XI lost no caste in defeat when going under by six wickets against Farnworth Social Circle.