BIG-HITTING Ben Hewitt achieved the rarest of sporting feats - by smashing six sixes in an over.

The 10-year-old Lunts Heath Primary School cricketer emulated the feat of the legendary Sir Garfield Sobers when representing Halton in the Merseyside Youth Games.

His exploits, in a group match against Wirral, helped Halton's Kwik Cricket team, comprising children from Years 4 and 5, to the silver medal in the Radio City-sponsored event at Bebington Oval.

Former Widnes batsman Paul Bryson, a Lancashire Cricket Board coach, said: 'No matter what level of cricket you play at, to achieve this feat is a tremendous effort.'

A full Merseyside Youth Games round-up will appear next week. A teenage batsman proved himself to the real McCoy on debut for the Murray Smith Cheshire County League.

James McCoy, in his first season at Widnes Cricket Club, defied a strong Staffordshire League bowling attack to help the county league to victory in their President's Trophy second-round replay on Sunday.

The home side made the most of a perfect track at Chester Boughton Hall to post a mammoth 295-5 from their 45 overs.

Opener McCoy, the 16-year-old son of ex-Widnes wicketkeeper Tony, has been piling on the runs since arriving at Beaconsfield Road from Grappenhall.

And he did not disappoint - hitting a typically fluent 41 at the top of the order.

The target didn't look beyond the Staffs League with Dave Proffitt, prospering from being dropped three times, powering past his 130 from the previous round against the Meller Braggins Cheshire League.

He hit five sixes and 13 fours in his 169 before being caught on the boundary.

The visitors failed to get 30 off the last three overs, being restricted to 273-6.

The next round is away to the Liverpool Competition, at Southport, on July 25.

League spokesman Mike Talbot-Butler said: 'Regrettably, many changes will have to be made in the team for Liverpool due to key players being involved in Cheshire Cup fixtures that day, unless the clubs involved can be accommodating.'

Widnes players should be available anyway as their Janguar House Cheshire Cup quarter-final, at home to Birkenhead Park, is this Sunday.