Prestbury avoid the drop in nailbiting finale

PRESTBURY faced Port Sunlight needing six points to stave off relegation.

Port Sunlight themselves required four points to be crowned champions and they won toss and opted to bat.

They charged to 120 without loss off 17 overs and looked like breaking the league record but Sam Gilding had Ben McPherson caught by Max Lough for a fine 95.

Skipper Ben Oakes then had Ben Nuttall caught by Gilding for 28 but the runs kept flowing. Newton reached 44 before he was run out and at the end of their 45 overs, Port Sunlight made 274 for 8.

Tim Braender, in his last game before flying back to Australia, took 2 for 55, finishing the season with 32 wickets at 18 a piece.

Ben Oakes took 3 for 37, his best of the season, and Prestbury had secured three points and Port Sunlight eight points to clinch the championship.

Prestbury, still needing a further three points, lost an early wicket as Stu Costello was out for 10. But Aqeel Ahmed 39 and Braender steadied the ship and got the score to 72. Aqeel was out and Tom Livesley came in to bat and join Braender and they saw the score to 140, ensuring two points. It was nail biting stuff as Braender was out for his top score of the season, 33, and soon Livesley was out for 47 in the 36th over.

Prestbury needed one more point so needed to bat out the full 45 overs. Wickets kept falling, Max Lough after his 50 for the seconds last week went without scoring then Cameron Kirkland (6), followed by Max Cowley Jones (15). But Ben Oakes (14 not out) and Sam Gilding (1no) saw them to a draw and another point to save them from relegation. It’s been a tough season but team spirit has been fantastic. Well done all those who have played and we look forward to next season.