TEENAGER John Walters put Prestwich back on track for victory after a lightning-fast start from Cheetham Hill put them in pole position for an upset.

The 17-year-old, making only his second first team appearance, put the brakes on the visitors' onslaught, taking four wickets for just 16 runs as he ripped through the middle order.

In a game reduced to 38 overs, Hill were invited to bat in overcast conditions and revelled in them.

Chris Humphreys, last week's hero, could not find his rhythm as his opening six-over spell went for 46.

A superb direct throw from Paul Mercer to run out Nawaz was Prestwich's only success as first Ahmed and then Barkatali played some fine aggressive shots, as Hill raced to 81 off 14 overs before rain forced an early tea break.

Walters was introduced into the attack straight after the re-start and it paid off with two wickets in two balls, first bowling Barkatali for 30 and then having Saleem well caught by stand-in wicketkeeper Danny Varney.

Walters struck twice more and when Craig Duxbury bowled Ahmed for a lively 63, the momentum had swung the home side's way as Hill had slumped from 109 for 1 to 119 for 6.

Ian Walker's recall to the firing line reaped immediate dividends when Rathor and Rather were dismissed within his first three balls, and, despite a few late blows, Walker rounded off the Hill demise to claim 3 for 35 and Hill were dismissed for 152 when a score well beyond 200 had looked a distinct probability.

Opener Carl Hey looked in fine form as Prestwich, with one eye on the weather, made a positive start, and Hey's only blemish was to call Duxbury for a risky second run. The Prestwich pro, not renowned for his sprinting prowess, was a couple of yards short of the crease and trudged back to the pavilion for 19. Hey was particularly brutal on anything short and the only surprise was when he was caught at mid-off by Rather just one short of his half century.

Skipper Steve Orrell made 15, despite being dropped three times, leaving the way for the in-form Mercer to crack an unbeaten 36, and with Walker steadfast and solid on 29 not out, they put together an unbroken 58-run partnership.

It clinched another maximum five-point haul for Prestwich, a result which had, earlier, seemed rather distant in view of the weather and Hill's opening blitz.

PRESTWICH v CHEETHAM HILL

CHEETHAM HILL

S Ahmed b Duxbury...63

A Nawaz run out...7

M Barkatali b Walters...30

M Saleem c Varney b Walters...0

A Riaz b Walters...4

A Rathor c Hey b Walker...6

I Mirza c Duxbury b Walters...0

T Butt c Duxbury b Walker...9

R Rather b Walker...0

Z Ahmed b Duxbury...10

U Kayani not out...9

Extras...14

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Total 152

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35.2 overs

Humphreys 6-0-46-0; Walker 10.2-2-35-3; Duxbury 12-2-45-2; Walters 7-2-16-4.

PRESTWICH

C Hey c Rather b Rathor...49

C Duxbury run out...19

I Walker not out...29

S Orrell lbw b Ahmed...15

P Mercer not out...36

Extras...7

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Total (for 3) 153

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34.2 overs

Rathor 17.2-3-63-1; Butt 3-0-29-0; Ahmed 14-2-59-1.