First Division - McInnis and Jones save the day for Hightown
Saturday 7th August 2004

Today's match at Bull Hey, Wigan will be talked about long after the season is over as the names of Jones and McInnis are placed in Hightown folklore.

Firstly, we have Jones, Graham Jones, more noted for being the son of Southport and Birkdale's veteran spinner Ian Jones. Wigan had elected to bat and were knocking the runs up, Michael Parlane (53) and Mark Rowe (52), when Jones came on to bowl. Five overs later, he'd taken 5-10 including a hat trick in his fourth over, taking the wickets of Gareth Bradley, Robbie Gore and John Wright. Wigan went on to bat for a total of 52.3 overs before being all out for 213.

Without a win in three games and seeing their lead at the top of the table cut to 7 pts by Fleetwood Hesketh, Hightown were desperate to take maximum points back to Sandy Lane, but with captain Ian Sutcliffe (34), Guy Edwards (27) and Gareth Glynne-Jones (21) back in the pavilion and a score of 113-8 on the board, that looked a tall order.

A tall order? No such thing, for Evon McInnis was at the crease with Hightown's number 10, Tony Symondson. The two added 48 before Symondson departed for a valuable 15, 161-9, 53 needed and that man Jones to come. I don't think he'd be insulted in being referred to as a resident number 11, but Jones kept his end intact whilst McInnis took on the Wigan attack, sending the fielders scurrying to all parts of the ground.

The pair had added 52 and the scores were level when McInnis, on 97 and not realising he needed just 3 for his century, guided the ball into the outfield for a single, leaving himself 98* after being dropped five times, Jones 2* and giving Hightown an unlikely one wicket victory.

There was an upset at Worsley where second placed Fleetwood Hesketh lost by 58 runs. Electing to bat, Worsley reached 156 all out after 47.4 overs, Richard Sims (70) and Danny McKeown (25) with Dave Bernard taking 4-23 and Steve Rimmer (3-43).

In reply, Fleetwood Hesketh were 60-1 but then disaster struck as they slid to an all out 98, Bernard 44 and Gary Wells 18, against the spin attack of Niall Howarth (5-12) and Paul Burton (4-18).

Colwyn Bay move back up to second place after their 88 run triumph over struggling Orrell Red Triangle at Penrhyn Avenue. With skipper Sion Morris, Colwyn Bay posted 247-4d after 48.1 overs with Dave Watkins (62), Dave Wallace (58). Andy Puddle (44*) and Brian Williams (32*) added 67* for the fifth wicket, Lee Martinus taking 3-96 for the visitors.

Left with 55 overs, the 'last hour' hadn't started when Orrell were finally dismissed for 159, skipper Dave Everett (55), Craig Stockdale (33) with the wickets being shared between Pat Leech (3-33), Paul Jenkins (3-35) and two apiece for Francois van der Merwe and Gareth Edwards.