PRESCOT & Odyssey maintained their hopes for a top two place in the Merseyside & Southport Cricket Alliance second division with three wicket home win over Mawdsley last Saturday.

P&O skipper asked the visitors to bat first with the wicket slow following the previous week's inclement weather.

Initially Nick Cartmel bowled a couple of loose deliveries, which were dispatched to the boundary, but as soon as he found his line though he picked up a couple of quick wickets.

Pravin Tambe at the other end was turning the ball so far that the Mawdsley batsmen watched in bemusement as they played and missed.

Handley, who replaced Cartmel, picked up three wickets, as Tambe wheeled away at the other end on his way to another three wickets.

Dagnall picking up two wickets as Mawdsley floundered to 83 all out.

The Prescot & Odyssey ground fielding was exceptional enabling the score to be kept down and some excellent catches by gloveman John Jinks and a couple by Cartmel at slip completed the first half of the job.

Greenwood and Keeble opened P&O's reply and were kept quiet by some fine bowling from the Mawdsley attack; the former was removed by an intelligent change of line, but Keeble who endured some sledging early on got himself in and played some fine shots, Tambe had come to the wicket found batting on the track a little difficult but took no chances.

The fall of Keeble wicket bought the in form West to the crease and the score ticked on to the victory target.

However P&O who do not seem to like to win with ease, lost quick wickets including Tambe for 42, but with Dagnall and Cartmel at the crease the winning run came for the loss of 7 wickets.