IN recent weeks Prescot and Odyssey have won some tense close finishes though many were as a result of opposition failings, a batting collapse here or inept bowling and fielding there.

Saturday saw them hand a victory to the opposition after the win had virtually been secured.

The visitors to Burrows Lane were Wrexham, in a game sponsored by Naughton & Co (Accountants).

Wrexham won the toss and elected to bat. They were soon in trouble at 30 for three, but managed to haul themselves to 173 for six.

Tony Bonnor was the pick of the bowling on a wicket that played fast and true, offering nothing to the bowlers in the way of turn or movement. Despite the freakish early dismissal of Andy Greenwood - run out at the non-strikers end when the ball deflected off the backside of the bowler onto the wickets as he took evasive action from a well-struck shot by Andy Murphy - P&O's reply looked measured.

Andy Murphy and Alan McComb plundered a lacklustre Wrexham bowling attack. Even after McComb was bowled around his legs with the total on 30. Simon Ramsden stepped in and helped continue the momentum. The two looked in no problem at all. Murphy in particular majestic as he picked off the bad balls and completed his half-century with the total on 76. Soon after P&O entered the final 20 overs and more than kept up with the run rate. The score had pushed past 100 when Ramsden was given LBW having scored 26.

Barrie Keeble was caught soon after at cover with an ill-timed drive Ian Wilkinson entered the fray, his strokeplay belaying his recent loss of form. The problems for P&O really began when Andy Murphy was out caught for a superlative 86 with the total on 140. Don Hurst went in the same manner the very next ball in an attempt to reach the target in the least possible time. His skied shot was well taken on the boundary.

Victory was so close yet seemed so desperately far away. No one in the P&O middle order was able to grasp the initiative and complete the target by pushing singles or twos around in the overs that remained. Instead they attempted 'glory' shots which didn't come off. Wilkinson was stumped as he charged Wrexham's leg-spinner, tried to change his shot, and missed! Alan Jolliffe was well-bowled the next over, wicket-keeper Jeff Gore LBW in the next.

Paul Dagnall improvised some shots as usual but it was now too late. Requiring 16 from the final two overs he was bowled as he desperately tried to seek the boundary.

P&O had been cruising at 140 for four with over eight over remaining.

The fact that their last five wickets fell for the addition of just nine runs indicates the magnitude of the collapse.

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