Still, there was pride, and momentum to play for, and both sides were determined to make the most of the reduced-overs encounter.
Batting first, Clifton never quite settled in the heavy, damp conditions. The early loss of Zach Flaxman, caught off the bowling of Toby Lester, set the tone. Jack Stanley offered some resistance with 12, but after his dismissal, again to Lester, runs became hard to come by.
Skipper Sam Dorsey played a lone hand with a battling 40 not out from 88 balls, anchoring an innings that never got into gear. There were brief cameos from Ben Hamilton (13), Ethan Pietkiewicz (13), and Owen Sleight(9), but Andy Hough’s devastating spell of 5-27 tore through the middle and lower order. Only Sam and tailender Finlay Testa (4*) survived as Clifton were restricted to 106 from 38.2 overs.
The soggy outfield and challenging pitch conditions made stroke play difficult, but credit must go to Roe Green’s bowlers, who applied pressure throughout, especially Hough, who claimed five scalps with subtle variations and tight lines.
With a revised target of 65 from 20 overs following rain adjustments, Roe Green came out swinging and swung hard.
Opener Adam Holt raced to 32 off just 15 balls, smashing boundaries and taking full advantage of anything loose from the Clifton seamers. Despite being caught by Hamilton off the bowling of Sleight, the damage had already been done.
From there, Ball (11*) and professional Malshan (15*)finished the job with little fuss, sealing victory in just 5.2 overs, highlighting the frustration of a Clifton side that had hoped to make more of a contest.
Prestwich Crowned Champions
Despite Roe Green’s emphatic win, news soon filtered through that Prestwich had claimed victory at Horwich, securing the title and ending any hope of a last-day twist. In many ways, it was a fitting outcome in a season where Prestwich have been the standout performers, and a poignant one in the newly christened Bob Hinchcliffe Premier League.