A FIVE-POINT victory over Longsight took Prestwich Cricket Club's points haul so far to 21- enough to see the club top the Lancashire County League table.

However, it is only by virtue of having recorded more five-point wins, as Woodhouses and Denton St Lawrence lie alongside on the same number of points.

Prestwich overcame Longsight by a comfortable eight wickets on Saturday, but there was a time in the first half when the visitors threatened to lead the Heys men a merry dance.

Simms and Shafiq suddenly quickstepped to a score of 92-1 with 24 overs left.

Infact, the Prestwich pear was on the verge of going distinctly out of shape when medium pacer Steven Lorenzini made a vital breakthrough, getting Simms to prod the ball sedately into the hands of David Fitzmaurice at point.

Simms fell just one short of his half-century, having taken a liking to the Heys ground on a previous occasion when he scored a century.

Shafiq was driving forcefully and effectively, but a word of advice from Chris Humphreys in the ear of youngster Alex Blake paid dividends the very next ball, as Shafiq, on 34, drove at a slower delivery and Humphreys snapped up the catch at point.

Heys then clawed their way back further into the frame, as Lorenzini pinned Mohammed leg-before-wicket (lbw) for a duck, and the scoreboard read 102-4. Lorenzini's six-over spell was rewarded with 2-18.

Bradley, after one wicket in a tidy opening spell, then made inroads into the Longsight line-up taking 4-26, with Humpheys grabbing two late victims, finishing with 3-50.

Abbas struck 27, but there were no real tail-end fireworks and Longsight were all out for 170.

Ian Walker claimed two catches and a stumping in another accomplished display behind the wickets.

In reply, Lorenzini got a leading edge with the score on 19, giving a straightforward catch to Newall at mid-on for 6.

But Duxbury and Walker proceeded to set up victory as they methodically set about mastering the Longsight attack.

Duxbury played a number of powerful drives to reach his half century in 74 balls, while Walker took one ball less to reach his fifty. He hit nine boundaries and a six in his 63.

The partnership of 151 came to surprising end with the scores level. Walker, a master of the reverse sweep, connected sweetly but the ball zoomed directly into the outstretched hand of Mohammed.

It left Duxbury's lofted extra cover drive to put the seal on a Prestwich triumph -- his 14 fours and two sixes helping him to an unbeaten 86.

The side now faces a tricky away fixture at Denton tomorrow.

Prestwich 2nd XI continued their magnificent start to the season -- making it 25 points out of a possible 25 - with 91-run victory over Longsight. Matty Walsh ripped the heart out of the opposition with a spell of 6-7.

Prestwich 3rd XI gained a hard-fought win over Fothergill and Harvey on Sunday, with teenager Sean Haslam leading the way with 73. It put behind them a disappointing defeat at the hands of ELPM the day before.