Furness are the 2021 Cumbria League’s Premier Division champions – with a little help from Workington.
With two games left Furness made sure of the crown through winning at Wigton yesterday while their closest rivals Cockermouth were losing at home to Workington.
Cockermouth, who play again this afternoon at home to Lindal Moor, had to win both games to take the title race to the last two weeks.
They had already lost to Workington in the Higson Cup and T20 competition, and fared no better in this crucial League clash at Sandair.
Despite having a few absentees, Workington produced a fine performance to record their third successive League win. After winning the toss they elected to bowl and it proved a shrewd decision.
Ben Scott took three early wickets, including Cockermouth skipper Gareth White (19), before teenager Regan Jackson took three wickets in his first over and at 36-6 off 11overs Cockermouth’s faint title hopes had all but disappeared.
Tom Norman held firm with a gritty 39 to give them some lingering hope at 96 all out in 33.4 overs.
Workington were cruising at 52-1 before Matt Sempill picked up 4-32 from his ten overs but Matt Goodall (30) was the mainstay as the visitors eventually claimed the win on 97-5 after 26.4 overs.
While this was all going on Furness had done what they had to by beating Wigton at Lowmoor Road – and quite comfortably by 118 runs.
Batting first, Furness made 247-4 in their 50 overs led by professional Promod Maduwantha (105no) and Nathan Waterston (48no), with 38 from opener Ryan Griffiths.
Wigton, who lost three early wickets, could never mount a challenge, apart from a brief fourth wicket stand between Chris Hodgson (47) and John Reed (22). They were bowled out for 129 in 43.3 overs with Maduwantha taking 4-37.
Carlisle pushed Lindal Moor into deeper relegation trouble when they won in south Cumbria by 34 runs.
But the hosts almost snatched, what appeared to be an unlikely win, through a brilliant innings from their pro Sawan Kankanange.
He was 150 not out at the close, made from 213 all out and which included ten fours and ten sixes – exactly a hundred in boundaries.
Johnny Westgarth took 3-34 for Carlisle who had earlier made 247-9 from their 50 overs.
James Dawson was the century maker for the Edenside visitors, making 102 which included 14 fours. He had decent support from Marc Brown (41) and Mike Slack (30). Edward Waind took 3-30.
Lindal, who play at Cockermouth today, go into their catch-up game four points behind Whitehaven.
Whitehaven had to win to get off the bottom and they beat Dalton by eight wickets to maintain their hopes of avoiding the drop.
Stephen Holliday (5-22) and 13-year-old Billy Thompson (3-12) were the bowling heroes for Whitehaven as Dalton were bowled-out for 88. Dan Sharpe (28) was the only serious contributor.
Whitehaven took 24.2overs to reach 89-2 led by professional Terence Warde (36no).
Young Thompson is a member of the club’s League winning Under-13’s and Under-15’s and represents the county at Under-13s level.
He has been selected for the first team after some excellent performances at junior and senior level. His bowling has been particularly impressive having taken so far 71 wickets for the club at all levels.
One club stalwart said: “Billy is an exciting prospect along with a number of our juniors. The club’s future looks bright with these youngsters around.”
There was some controversy in the game between Cleator and Keswick which was won by the hosts by six wickets.
Cleator’s professional Supeshala Jayathilake has been an absentee in recent games because of Covid. But clear and passed fit to play he retired after 15 overs in the field because he felt unwell.
Later, when feeling better and prepared to bat Keswick objected on the grounds that he had been absent from the game too long. Any embarrassing decision to make for the umpires was avoided when Cleator reached their target without the need for Jayathilake to bat.
Keswick had made 210-7 in their 50 overs led by opener Ruairdh Barker (76) and solid contributions down the order from Scott McGown (29no), Dan Craghill (28) and skipper James McGown (26).
A superb unbeaten 109 from Darren Clark laid the foundation for Cleator’s winning response of 211-4 in 46 overs. He faced 129 deliveries and hit 16 fours with two sixes. James Hocking (30) earlier and Steven Lee (29no) at the end gave him the support he needed.
In the other game Haverigg beat Millom but no details to hand.
