Callum Henderson bagged five wickets as Preston's charge away from the relegation places in the Herts Cricket League Championship continued with a win over Dunstable.
Asked to field first, Preston got off to the strongest start possible as their Australian bowler ripped through the Dunstable top order with pace and accuracy.
Dunstable were in deep trouble after 20 overs at 44-5 as Henderson took four scalps on his way to 5-54.
Regular rain intervals didn't help either side but Dunstable were able to get to 143 with 64 added for the last two wickets.
Openers Jake George (45) and James Stevens (37) put on a fuss-free 88 and a minor stutter didn't alter that as Preston closed out with five overs to spare after another rain delay, making it three victories in the last five games.
Skipper Max Anderson said: "We've always believed if we got a string of consecutive games under our belts, we'd start to climb the table and the last five games have shown that."
Letchworth's game with the team directly above them, Langleybury, was abandoned after 33 overs.
Preston's second team met Letchworth's thirds and it was another powerful performance for the former as they won by eight wickets.
Ashley Catlin (3-5), Mark Waters (3-15) and Oliver Gallimore (2-15) bowled Letchworth out for 53 and they picked up the win thanks to 35 from Will Mercer.
Baldock maintained their promotion push with victory at home to Hertingfordbury.
Having won the toss and chosen to field, Baldock 's opening pair of James Rist and Luke Mingston bowled superbly on a helpful wicket to leave the visitors 28-3 and that was followed by 4-10 from Adam Hewitt to dismiss them for a paltry 43.
The reply lasted just 10 overs and saw the loss of just one wicket, Louis Woodley making 23 not out as Baldock stay second in Division Five B.
Baldock's second and fourth teams both lost, to Redbourn and Tewin respectively, although there was an assured 29 from 14-year-old Nid Lalli in the fourths.
Ickleford fell to another defeat at home to Old Albanian in Division One.
They restricted their opponents to 206-8 despite missing key bowlers, Thomas Brown (2-43) and Duncan Jenner (2-25) the most successful.
And after a rain delay and an adjusted victory total of 177, Ickleford could never quite reach the required run rate.
Wickets fell as they tried to up the scoring rate and they were dismissed for 106. Jon Hilliard made 28, Jak Phillips 18 while Matt Baxter and Jenner got 16 each.
The seconds lost to Frogmore, Scot Crouch impressing with 4-27 and Adam Ross getting 3-26 but Ickleford fell well short with just 116, Sam Giggle making 39.
And a weakened thirds lost to Hitchin fourths by eight wickets, only Archie McIntosh with 40 providing resistance.
Hitchin meanwhile had their lead at the top of Division One cut to 16 points after their game at St Margaretsbury was ended very early because of rain.
Stevenage did play in Division Two A but were no match for leaders Redbourn, losing by 108 runs.
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