ST HELENS visited Hightown in confident mood after the previous week's win and repeated the process with an excellent team performance.

Darren Tyms (78), Roger Burrows (59) Gareth Davies (26) and Ian Mackus (21) enabled St Helens to declare at 201-6 leaving Hightown 53 overs to chase the score.

On the first dry wicket of the season Adam Friar returned 5-48 in 14 overs with Steve Jordan and Phil Roughley claiming a wicket each.

Subu Banerjee cleaned up the tail with two wickets in successive balls to end Hightown's challenge on 135 all out.

Captain Neil Woods was in fine form behind claiming a wicket each.

Captain Neil Woods was in fine form behind the stumps with three stumpings and a run out from an Ian Mackus throw.

A weakened second team tumbled to 117 all out at Windleshaw Road with only David Lowe (42) and Daniel Massey (20) looking comfortable with the bat.

Hightown reached 120-6 to win the game with two overs left. Ian McCabe took the bowling honours for the second week in succession with 4-14.

The third team entertained fellow title chasers New Brighton on Sunday in continuous rain which would have made a rugby match difficult.

Apart from opener Carl Boardman (21) and a late flurry from captain Brian Holmes (26) no one relished the wet conditions and the innings closed on 135 all out. St Helens looked in control at 11-3 but a fine innings of 61 not out by New Brighton skipper Kenny Winter won the game with two balls to spare.

Two dropped catches and a missed run out in the last over made an exciting end to a match played in very difficult conditions.

Both schoolboy teams won away at Haydock during the week with the under 15s posting a good score of 125 off 20 overs thanks mainly to an excellent knock of 44 by Neil Owen, supported by Phil Mitchell on 20.

Haydock were allowed to get perilously close with openers Anderton and Taylor making 44 and 22 but wickets fell quickly at the end with Haydock finishing on 114-6 and Alan Rigby bowling well to take 3-20.

On the following evening the under 18s struggled to 99 with only Mark Malone (29) and Bobby Kenny (22) reaching double figures.

On the resumption Haydock also found run making difficult and closed on 82-7 with Mark Tasker bowling an excellent spell to take 4-21.

On Saturday the first team take on Ormskirk at home and the third team are at home to Huyton on Sunday in an attempt to retake the top spot in the league.

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