Parekh and Harty share bowling honours
Krishan Parekh (front) and Sajid Patel (rear) were Preston's match-winners
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Teenaged left arm spinner Krishan Parekh finished his GCSE exams and then polished off the Chorley batsman on a day to remember at West Cliff.
The son of Preston legend Manoj put the skids under Chorley's bid to topple Preston's modest total of 96 in the Jamie Heywood Twenty20 Cup sponsored by Latham Baxendale.
Parekh benefitted from fine catches in the outfield by Yasin Patel and Sajid Nalbandh that accounted for Alex Weetman and Jack Bentham respectively before bowling T20 dangermen Ian Oakes and Will Moulton.
As he completed another part of his cricketing education with a match-winning spell of 4/7 from four overs the future of Preston cricket looked in good hands.
Craig Crook also bowled impressively to take 2/17, bagging the scalps of Stu Naden and Adam Peacock, the latter to a simply outstanding one handed catch falling backwards at deep extra cover by Yasin Patel.
Weetman and Mr Wides top-scored for Chorley in their dismal batting effort with 15 apiece, as the visitors subsided to 71 all out. Their innings ended in chaos with Matthew Critchley and pro Gaurav Dhar both run out.
Earlier Chorley's Chris Harty provided another glimpse of the future, taking 4/17 in Preston's innings.
Chris Harty took 4/17 for Chorley
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The rangy medium paced bowler pinned Ben Harrison leg before, saw wicketkeeper Arif Dhoriwala superbly stumped by Andy Holdsworth and also claimed the wickets of Parekh and Yasin Patel.
Usual opener Sajid Patel, Man of the Match in Preston's Twenty20 Finals Day triumph of 2009, batted down the order at no7. He made a hard-hitting 37 off 26 balls including four fours and one huge six off Will Moulton that ended deep into the hockey pitch behind the bowler's arm.
Sajid Patel smashes will Moulton for 6 into the hockey pitch
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This was Preston's first win in five attempts in South Two group, a disappointing return for a club that has reached Finals Day in each of the last two years and won the competition in 2009.
Chorley's record in 2011 is equally as dismal but both have still to play Leyland, who face a 'must win' game at group leaders Darwen on Friday evening.
Victory for Leyland would keep their hopes of qualification for Finals Day alive if they can overhaul Darwen on run rate.
Chorley pro Gaurav Dhar bowls to Preston skipper Lukman Vahaluwala
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Jamie Heywood Twenty20 Cup sponsored by Latham Baxendale
Wednesday 22nd June
Preston v Chorley
Preston beat Chorley by 25 runs
Preston 96 (S Patel 37, C Harty 4/17), Chorley 71 (K Parekh 4/7)
