First Division - Fleetwood back into second - Bay skittled at Recs
Saturday 14th August 2004

Fleetwood Hesketh hit back with a bang to give their promotion hopes a lift after their surprise defeat the previous week by shooting Caldy out for a paltry 46, to win by 10 wickets.

Dave Bernard (6-16) and Steve Rimmer (3-16) did the damage in just 18.3 overs for Hesketh who then rattled up the required runs in 5.1 overs with Neil  Rimmer (32*) and Gary Wells (17*), the match ending at 2:49pm.

The three way battle for promotion to the Premier League has seen all the contenders slip up in recent weeks and Colwyn Bay came a cropper at St Helens Recs to fall back to third place.

Home skipper Steve Garvey's inspired spell of 6-33 and Mark Orchard's 4-39 saw the Welshmen collapse to 73 all out in 33.5 overs, Charlie Clubb making 43. Recs lost half the side for 52 (Gareth Edwards 3-26) but they eventually won by four wickets.

Leaders Hightown easily accounted for St Helens but Indian Sanjay Pandey took all seven wickets against the home side. Ian Sutcliffe (45) and Evon McInnis (39) made runs in a sound performance which yielded 202-7 dec. All rounder Pandey then hit a fine 55 as the visitors fell for 120, Ian Sutcliffe (3-30) and McInnis (3-33).

Liverpool's young side secured a third successive win came in dramatic circumstances at Orrell Red Triangle. Only Andy Rogers (38) coped well enough with the home attack in a disappointing 123 all out for the visitors (Tabener 4-27). Orrell looked well on the way to victory at 105-3, but then collapsed to 115 all out against the bowling of Marc Kelly (5-19) and Geoff Blackburn (4-31).

A storming show from Formby saw them enjoy a thrilling one wicket win against Wigan, who had set a target of 171 from 52.4 overs after winning the toss, thanks mainly to Andy Ford (69) and Graham Bolton (43*) who put together 64 for the opening wicket. Dave Hadden (4-39) and Tony Rogan (4-44) were the pick of the bowlers.

Hadden (64) and Brendon McDonald (50) then shared a third wicket stand of 94, but a midorder slump threatened to undo all the good work. However, 15 year old Kris Jones held his nerve with an unbeaten seven to secure victory, despite Bolton's super spell of 6-26.

Highfield held on at 176-8 (Mike Farrell 58, Richard Sims 4-65 and Michael Gould 3-25) after Worsley, who elected to bat, totalled 213-7d with Danny McKeown 44, David McQuade 34* and Gareth Walter 33.

Haydock batted 53.2 against Newton le Willows before being all out for 184 with Mario Ventura (70), Craig Gardiner (32) top scorers with SS Das (5-55) and Ikram-ul-Haq Malik (4-65) did the damage for Newton. The visitors had 6 overs remaining when they passed their target with only two wickets down, ending on 186-2, SS Das 118* (14x4s, 1x6) and Mark Fearnley (29).