EGERTON are champions of the Greater Manchester League Premier Division after winning the title showdown with Prestwich on Saturday.

After going their entire history without winning the league, the Bolton side made it two championships in two seasons following their Bolton League title success last season.

The Blackburn Road men got off to a bad start at Prestwich where the first three batsmen mustered 15 between them before the rally began and saw them post 175 all out.

Chesney Hughes steadied the ship with 35 and Anthony Clegg and Danny Partington then kept the scoreboard ticking over with important knocks of 30 and 42, respectively.

The last four batsmen failed to add much more further pressure on the home side as they were quickly skittled, but the middle-order trio had given their team a decent total to protect in the second innings.

And they did so by getting Prestwich out for 140 to clinch the title.

The first five Prestwich wickets fell for 56 runs but a stubborn sixth-wicket partnership took the score on to 96 and when they moved on to 133-8 the home side were still in it.

But it was not long before team manager Dave Tattersall’s team were celebrating, Amal Dalugoda finishing with 4-43 and Marcus Pratt 3-21.

The club partied long into the night to celebrate their second successive title which Tattersall puts down to the great togetherness of the players.

“The team spirit is the best I’ve ever known anywhere and that’s the main reason why we’ve been successful,” he said.

“You can’t win leagues without quality but you need that team spirit as well and we’ve got it in abundance.

“It’s like London buses these titles, we don’t win any then two come along at once. It’s great for the club but now we start looking to next year and I can honestly say my only target is to stay in this league because it’s so strong.”

While Adam Street only took one wicket, his performance was critical to his side winning the game in what is likely to be his final game for the club as he plans to move to Australia.

“Streety was unbelievable,” said Tattersall. “We knew we always had him up our sleeve to bowl and they just couldn’t play him.

“The wicket suited him down to the ground and he was fantastic. He may not have got many but he didn’t go for many either and that helped us win the game.”

Edgworth will be playing in Division One after a 125-run defeat to Bury.

Chasing 182 in a game played at Ramsbottom due to pitch work at Bury’s ground, Edgworth never got started and were all out for 57, Liam Watkinson top scoring for Edgworth with 25.

Astley and Tyldesley will also be playing a division lower next season despite winning their final game by four wickets at home to Whalley Range.

Overseas amateur Chris Ware took 5-49 as the visitors were all out for 140 before Alex Heaton top-scored with 53 to put A&T on their way to a last-day win which left them fourth bottom of Division One.