Champions Prestwich denied by rain again (From Prestwich and Whitefield Guide)

Champions Prestwich denied by rain again

11:00am Thursday 20th September 2012 in Sport

THE cricket season for Prestwich finished as it started – in the pouring rain.

The plug was pulled on their final game at Roe Green when a deluge typical of this summer arrived just as the home side were about to start chasing Prestwich’s target of 151.

Back in April, Prestwich’s opening two league games were washed out.

However, the weather did not rain on Prestwich’s parade as they already had the Lees Lancashire County League title wrapped up for the second successive year.

The final standings showed the Heys side were six points clear of nearest rivals Denton St Lawrence having lost just four league games. The Roe Green washout was their eighth abandonment of the rain-savaged season.

Only 41 overs were played last Sunday, as Prestwich recovered from 100-8 to 151-8, thanks to an unbeaten 31 from Tom Gibson and 19 not out from captain Steven Lorenzini, who left his mark in his farewell innings with an extravagant shot for six over extra cover in the last over.

Lorenzini’s work move to London meant it was his final appearance in a Prestwich shirt, as it was for Australian Matt Wiley, who was ending his two-year association with the club, having been one of the side’s major run-scorers.

But next season will see the return of one of Prestwich’s prodigious talents, with the signing of Carl Hey, from Northern League side Bootle.

He came up through the youth ranks at Prestwich, making his first-team debut in 1996 before moving on in 2002.

The club’s leading wicket-taker Andy Bradley will take over as first-team skipper.

* Prestwich second team cemented third place in Divison Two, losing four wickets in overhauling the 71-run target set by Roe Green 2nds just before a major downpour.