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Prestwich and Stand both lose

1/ 5/2008

PRESTWICH and Stand made a disappointing start to the Lees Brewery Lancashire County League season.

Prestwich suffered a four-wicket defeat at Flowery Field after being skittled for just 113 runs. And Stand were beaten by 55 runs at home to a formidable Denton St Lawrence side after making just 95 runs in response to the visitors’ 150 runs for the loss of nine wickets.

Prestwich had a fantastic 2007 season in the Lancashire county league. The first team lifted the championship title and the Walkden Cup and the second team won their league title plus the Hulme Trophy.

But the club have since lost their long serving professional Craig Duxbury, who has been replaced by Sri Lankan left handed batsman Viraj Perera, and opening bowler Andy Taylor to Monton and Weaste.

Stand have strengthened in the close season by bringing in new professional Niranjan Kumara, Zahid Javed, Stuart Catterall and Adrian Pearce.

But they struggled with their batting at the weekend with just Kumara, 23 runs, Paul Duerden, 21, Carl Sutcliffe, 15, and Javed, 12, making double figures.

Javed was the star of the show with the ball, taking six wickets for 26 runs.

Kumara and Catterall chipped in with one wicket each.

Stand won the corresponding second string fixture by 39 runs after posting 202-9.Their top scorers were Curphey, 65 runs, Matt Holt, 38, and debutant Adam Sharp, 18.

Radcliffe declared on 161-5 at home to Radcliffe in the Lake Garage Central Lancashire League with Usman Tariq scoring 78 runs and Gorsey hitting 50.

Littleborough made 71-3 in reply.

Meanwhile, Radcliffe chairman Chris Franklin has hailed all rounder Tariq ‘the best professional in the league’.

Tariq, who scored over 1,300 runs and took 35 wickets in a rain interrupted 2007 season, will share the burden of success with new overseas amateur Carl Sandri this year.

Sandri, a 24-year-old all rounder from Melbourne, will head the club’s new coaching set-up. And the other new signings are Ishan Raza, who has joined from the Stoke Premier League, and wicket keeper Mark Robinson, who has arrived from neighbours ELPM.

However, the club have lost some good players with Stephen Holt, Damion Keegan and Simon Belston leaving for Elton, Nottley Hall and Bury respectively while Anwar Ul Haq has emigrated to Poland.