Heaton'S professional Chris Sainsbury is making up for lost time.

The Aussie may have made a slow start to his Bolton League career but now he is in explosive form.

He followed up his 8-39 and 84 last week with 8-64 and a record breaking 161 not out against Egerton on Saturday.

Sainsbury's knock, the highest ever by a Heaton professional, included 11 sixes and 14 fours and with fellow countryman Gary Stephenson put on 110. Heaton finished on 250-7 with Wayner Harper taking 5-51.

In reply Sainsbury was again the destroyer grabbing eight wickets, but it still wasn't enough for victory as Egerton hung on at 201-9. Harper 82 and O'Rourke 78 held up Heaton with a partnership of 170.

Tonge maintained their slender one point margin at the top of the table but only after a hard fought win at Greenmount.

The leaders could only muster 148 against good bowling from Mark Stewart 6-60 and Brett Collins 3-44. Jim Aspden hit a vital 6, as Tonge recovered from a disastrous 116-8. Kevin Geyer hit 60 but Greenmount were bowled out for 140 thanks to Ian Taylor's 4-49 and Gary Long's 4-30. Farnworth maintained their title push but only after defeating bottom club Horwich with two balls remaining. Horwich made 183-9 with Grant Long unbeaten on 89 and Steve Woods 31, while Danny Bryant took 6-66.

In reply Farnworth made heavy weather of the total but thanks largely to Brad Hodge's 63 squeezed home by three wickets.

Little Lever closed a 10 points gap between them and Kearsley to just four after a comfortable six wickets win. The visitors were bowled out for 152 with Craig Duxbury top scoring with 68. Mel Whitle took 3-94 and Les Whittle 4-36. In reply Little Lever had little difficulty passing the required total for the loss of just four wickets.

Astley Bridge started well with Ian Warren and Raquesh Patel putting on 76 for the first wicket. Mahboob followed it up with a quickfire 51 off just 28 balls as Bridge finished on 210-8. Dirki De Vos was the pick of the bowlers with 5-52. In reply Eagley were never in the hunt against the bowling of Steve Foster 5-53, but opener Mike Ward unbeaten on 61 held them together as they struggled to 115-7. Westhoughton, fresh from their last ball triumph over leaders Tonge last week raced to 245-8 at Farnworth Social Circle. Patrick Hilder hit 86, Stuart Harrison 56 and Roy Parker 55. They were denied by Circle's Craig Ballantyne who made 64 out of their 190-5.

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