Cockermouth emerge as main threat to Furness in Cumbria League top flight

A 10-wicket win over fellow challengers Keswick has kept them in pursuit of the south Cumbrian league-leaders, with their likely title shoot-out set for August 28 at Furness.

The Cockermouth openers, skipper Gareth White and Alex Grainger, established a new club record last month against Cleator.

This time their opening stand was unbroken as they powered Cockermouth to victory on 167-0 in 38.4 overs.

Grainger was 107no with 15 fours while White (52no) adopted a more circumspect role, hitting four fours and two sixes.

Earlier, Keswick had been restricted to 166-9 after losing Oscar Link to the first ball of the game. They needed 44 from pro Geeth Kumara and 25 from Will Atkinson to give them a total to try and defend – unsuccessfully as it turned out.

Occasional bowler White came on as fourth change and took 4-38.

On a splendid day for the Cockermouth club, the second team also won by 10 wickets after bowling out Furness seconds for 56.

Furness stay clear, though, after they gained revenge for their Higson Cup final defeat against Workington.

The visitors were bowled out for 118 in 45.2 overs and would have been deeper in trouble but for a measured 60, batting at four and last man out.

Furness pro Prromod Maduwantha took 4-11 and Mark Daly had 3-31.

Opener Wyll Stanway celebrated his call-up to the senior Cumbria side with an unbeaten 65 as Furness took 25 overs to reach 119-2.

Carlisle probably need to win all their remaining games and rely on weather interfering with their rivals if they are to snatch the title.

But they keep going enthusiastically enough, registering a win after a high-scoring game with Cleator.

Professional Mike Slack (137) hit his highest score for the club after figuring in an opening stand of 163 with Ben Davidson (81).

Carlisle finished their 50 overs on an impressive 284-6. Doug Hughes took 3-89.

Cleator have been short of runs lately but to their credit made a big effort with their response.

Darren Clark (96) and his father Ian Clark (71) were the mainstays of their total of 238 all-out. The pair put on 92 for the sixth wicket.

Henry Walker (3-45) and Jonathan Davidson (3-58) were the most successful bowlers.

There was a special guest at the game between Dalton and Wigton, and it proved to be a thrilling contest.

Dalton squeezed home by one wicket in a low-scoring game to ease their relegation concerns.

The game was umpired by Kevin Beaumont, secretary of the Buckinghamshire county club who start a three-day game with Cumbria today at Furness.

Kevin had travelled up early to take the game. Two years ago he was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his services to Bucks cricket and to the Minor Counties, where he umpired for 30 years.

He stood at Dalton with the Cumbrian president Eric Carter and between them they have 109 years of experience as umpires.

Eric has notched 51 years and Kevin 58, admitting that he umpired his first game at the age of 12.

After a solid enough start, headed by opener Matthew Reed (31) Wigton fell away to 117 all-out in 36.1 overs.

Rangika Pinnala Don took 4-20 and Lewis Woodend had 4-21.

Dalton owed their victory to opener Rob Jones, who batted through for an unbeaten 56, but at one point they had slipped to 41-7.

Jones had best support from number 10 Mark Hollier (12) and was just able to see his side over the line.

Jonny Honeyman took 6-26 for Wigton.

It’s now looking like a straight battle between Lindal Moor and Whitehaven to avoid the drop.

Whitehaven’s home clash with Millom was called off because the visitors have a number of players self-isolating and has been re-scheduled for next Sunday.

Lindal picked-up two points in their defeat by Haverigg and are now level with Whitehaven at the bottom.

Professional Sawan Kankanange hit 66 for Lindal in their total of 154 with Joe Lovell taking 5-27.

New Cumbria wicket-keeper Drew Postlethwaite scored 45 at the top of the order and Haverigg eventually reached 156-6 in 41.5 overs.