Chaudhary knocks Ayr out of the park Prestwick eye Premier title after beating rivals by 43 runs

Sachin Chaudhary hit a sparkling 108 as Prestwick beat Ayr by 43 runs to have one hand on the Premier Division title.

With three games to go, they lead second placed Ferguslie by 5.77 per cent while defeat slipped Ayr back to fourth.

Prestwick, who have won nine of their 11 games, now entertain Greenock and Clydesdale before closing away to East Kilbride.

Tom Fleet was next best with 39 to help Prestwick to 227 for 9 in 50 overs. Scott McElnea ( 4- 47) and Shujja Khan ( 3- 41) were Ayr’s top bowlers.

Skipper Andi McElnea led with 69 and Khan hit 45 but Ayr crumbled to 184 all out in 49.1 overs. Best bowlers were Willie Rowan ( 3- 30), who took the prize wicket of pro Michael Papps without scoring and Chaudhary ( 2- 21).

Prestwick were in early trouble with Scott McElnea removing openers Shahzad Rafiq and Faisal Jawad with only three on the board and struck shortly after to remove Luke Smith before Chaudry cemented the innings.

Ayr lost in form openers Neil Smith and Papps early leaving Andi McElnea and Khan to put on a century stand for the third wicket. But with the required run rate increasing, wickets started to fall. were all out for 96 with Euan McBeth 4- 17 and Sam Cole taking 3- 23.

Ayr won through to the McCulloch Cup final, restricting Ferguslie to 123- 4. After the early loss of Smith, Ayr timed their run chase perfectly, with Papps ( 68no) and Andi McElnea ( 36 no) rotating the strike well and punishing any poor balls to win with more than two overs to spare.

On Saturday, Ayr travel to Glasgow to take on champions Clydesdale and hopefully will play in the McCulloch Cup final on Wednesday if the other semi between Poloc and Greenock is completed in time.

The Cambusdoon XI host leaders Titwood.

On Saturday, Prestwick host Greenock. On Thursday this week, St Ninians XI take on East Kilbride or Victoria in the Greenwood Cup final at Weirs.

Apologies for the error in last week’s story on the Eglinton Trophy where the Ayr historian was wrongly named as the late Norman Simpson – it should have been Norman Wilson.