It’s Ayr’s to lose

Skipper talks up rivals

dismissed the home side for 49 in 15 overs with Chaudhary finishing with an incredible 6- 5.

Rafiq added: “While Sachin was the mainstay, we were staring down the barrel at one stage. Tom Fleet hit a crucial 20 while Fraser Macdonald made 16 off 67 balls.”

Prestwick now head to third- bottom Dumfries on Saturday but Rafiq doesn’t expect to get it easy.

He warned: “This will be one of our toughest games and I think they will beat some big teams.”

P restw i c k l o s t t o Greenock in a nail- biter the McCulloch Cup quarterfinals last Wednesday. PRESTWICK ( 25) S Rafiq c Hussain b McLister. ................. 5 F Jawad lbw b Macdonald ................... 21 L Smith c Donaldson b McLister ........... 0 S Chaudhary c McLister b Wylie ......... 57 F Macdonald c & b Wylie ...................... 16 T Fleet not out ....................................... 20 R Patterson not out ................................ 7 Extras 10. Total ( for 5 wkts, 41.3 ovs). 136

Bowling: S McLister 6- 1- 20- 2; J Macdonald 5- 0- 25- 1; S Hamilton 7.3- 2- 20- 0; W Allan 6- 2- 12- 0; D Wylie 8- 3- 9- 2; M Donaldson 4- 0- 19- 0; R Maclean 5- 0- 26- 0. KELBURNE ( 2) B Joynt c Macdonald b Pitt .................... 1

Chasing Greenock’s 1303, Prestwick needed nine off the last over. The scores finished level but Greenock won, losing less wickets.

The Rowan Cup tie away to West of Scotland was washed out and rearranged for Thursday.

St Ninians X1 beat Whitehaugh by 111 runs after scoring 247- 6 ( David Carlyle 80, Euan McBeth 29 not out).

The visitors were held to 136- 8. Phil Stafford took 2- 14 while Sam Cole bowled 10 overs for only 18 runs.

On Sunday, Luke Smith hit 143 as Prestwick reached 247- 9 against Poloc Panthers who beat them with one ball to spare. W Allan c Macdonald b Rowan ............. 3 S McLister b Rowan ................................ 3 R Hussain b Chaudhary ....................... 19 J Porter b Chaudhary ............................. 5 A Gilmour b Chaudhary ........................ 2 D Wylie lbw Rao ...................................... 4 R Maclean run out. ................................. 0 M Donaldson b Chaudhary .................. 0 J Macdonald c Rafiq b Chaudhary ....... 0 S Hamilton not out ................................. 2 Extras10. Total ( all out, 15.1 ovs) ........ 49 Bowling: G Pitt 5- 1- 19- 1; W Rowan 3- 2- 13- 2; S Chaudhary 4.1- 2- 5- 6; M Rao 3- 0- 9- 1.