PRESCOT and Odyssey suffered their first defeat of the season when they lost by two wickets to Wavertree in a nail-biting finale at Burrows Lane on Saturday.

The game was sponsored by D&J Rowland (Builders).

Wavertree - who had been in control throughout the game - threatened to throw victory away with a late slump. In a game delayed by nearly an hour due to rain, P&O lost a decisive toss and were asked to bat on a wet track with variable bounce.

They were under the cosh within a couple of overs, as openers Pearl and Greenwood quickly departed with the score on 4 -2. This lurched to 21-4 and a humiliating total beckoned against a rampant Wavertree bowling attack. Only Alan McComb was able to offer any sort of resistance.before he was stumped as he attempted to bring up his half-century.

However, the P&O tail wagged with some highly-improvised stroke play from Paul Dagnall and Tony Bonner, before they were dismissed for 125.

Any such confidence quickly evaporated as Wavertree made easy work of their target. Although P&O bagged a wicket early on, Wavertree recovered and rattled on to 60 for 1 in no time and looked set to win at a canter. Only when the lst 20 overs commenced did P&O's bowling and fielding click into action. With little over 60 runs required in 20 overs, nine wickets left and P&O's main strike bowler Ian Hayhurst now sidelined to the slips following a foot injury, there was nothing to stop Wavertree.

Bowlers Alan Joliffe and Paul Dagnall were able to strangle the run rate and as this gradually increased from three to four to near five-an-over, so an element of panic crept into the Wavertree batting. However, a resurgence of the run rate brought the final throw of the dice from Tony Bonner as he threw on the spin twins of Alan McComb and Ian Wilkinson. It paid immediate dividends. A succession of batsmen danced down the track to be stumped or fall to some excellent catching. The final over saw Wavertree need three runs with three wickets left. A single off the first ball was followed by another wicket and then a dropped catch which could have almost given P&O an amazing victory. Wavertree hit the winning run from the final ball to secure a nervous win. There was a winning draw for P&O 2nds, Barrie Keeble scoring 80 in a total of 203. Wavertree were content to settle for a draw on 170 for 6. Dave Leather's 3rd XI also lost, away at Irby. On Friday, P&O had progressed to the next round of the 20-over Liverpool Echo Cup, defeating Mersey Park

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