PRESCOT and Odyssey produced a scorching bowling and fielding performance to gain an important victory over Liverpool Nalgo.

In a game sponsored by The Cut Inn Hairdressers (St Helens), P&O won the toss and elected to bat. Nigel Pearl, despite some early playing-and-missing, looked in devastating form. He plundered 16 runs off one over from Lance Mulholland before he was run out for 22 with the score on 36. Andy Greenwood and Simon Ramsden put on 50 for the second wicket but found run-getting difficult against a nagging Nalgo attack. They ground out the runs but saw the run-rate slipping below three an over before Greenwood, attempting to up the tempo, was caught behind trying to hook a short ball. He had scored 44.

Ramsden, clearly lacking confidence, struggled on but eventually perished for 12. The P&O middle-order were unable to pick up the rate and the innings was meandering nowhere in particular until a brisk 22 from Alan Jolliffe brought some respectability to the total. Skipper Tony Bonner finally declared on 154 for 8. Nalgo had enough time to make the total with ease, but never looked like doing so as their scoring was pegged back by the accurate opening attack of Bonner and Paul Dagnall.

As the final 20 overs began, they needed to score at above five-an-over, albeit with wickets in hand. Dagnall then took two wickets in one over and the game swung over P&O's way.

There was a brief Nalgo rally when Mulholland and Dave Platt came together for the sixth wicket. They put on some quick runs, kept up with the required rate and appeared to be growing in confidence. That was until Ramsden took a screamer of a catch at slip, low and one-handed, to dismiss one-time Nalgo colleague Mulholland off the bowling of Bonner. The tide turned well and truly in P&O's direction. Ramsden's flighted leg spin brought a total of four wickets, and - coupled with his catch - a measure of compensation for his struggle with the bat and revenge against old team-mates. His fourth wicket had Nalgo nine down at 108 with five overs remaining.

Understandably, Nalgo decided to 'shut up shop' for the draw, and appeared to be doing a successful job until Bonner's final over of his spell (and the penultimate over of the match). It looked as if it would go to the final over - and the possibility of a disappointing draw - when Bonner's final delivery of the match ripped out Herbert's middle wicket.

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