Not for the first time this season, the Cumbria League’s match of the day lived up to the billing.
Champions Furness won a cliff-hanger at Fitz Park where Keswick were bowled-out in the last over having fallen short of victory by just five runs.
At 95-6 Furness were wobbling and were indebted to a seventh wicket stand of 62 between Liam Curwen (48) and Garry Thompson (34no) to gain respectability with the innings closed on 166-7.
Professional Rishith Upamal (2-26) and county bowler James McGown (2-40) were Keswick’s most successful bowlers.
In reply Keswick also struggled early doors and at 55-5 Furness were strong favourites to finish it quickly.
But Andy Rigg (41) and James McGown (30) steadied the ship and with Joe Grisdale (24) chipping in Keswick had reached 160-8.
It was tense stuff but seasoned Furness skipper Peter Lawson (3-32) trapped Andrew Bryson leg before after Will Stanway (4-28) had removed Finn Turnbull and they scraped home.
Carlisle continue to stack-up the runs and collect the points to stay out in front in the Premier Division.
Cleator were the latest to be on the receiving end as the hosts reached 251-8 in their 50 overs with professional Mike Slack unbeaten, but two runs short of another century.
Openers Tom Benn (34) and Marc Brown (29) also contributed to the cause while veteran Ian Clark (2-17) from ten overs was the pick of the Cleator bowlers.
Cleator lost wickets at regular intervals but wicket-keeper Graeme Lilly (48no) batting at seven offered some late resistance before running out of partners.
Alex Raybould, the seventh Carlisle bowler to be used, took 3-5 while teenage off-spinner Josh Stirling took 3-13 from his 10 overs.
Best bowling performance of the day came from Cockermouth’s Gabriel Drimmie who took 6-14 from his ten overs against Haverigg.
The home side was bowled-out for 98 in 41.3 overs and would have been in deep trouble were it not for a battling 58 not out from professional Sachin Jayawardena.
Cockermouth secured the win at 101-3, taking 28.1 overs and with skipper Matthew Sempill unbeaten on 45.
In a low-scoring game at Millom the home side beat Egremont by 27 runs after being bowled-out for 137.
Professional Primosh Perera (41) and Dec Tyson (35) were largely responsible for the Millom total while Mark Ponticelli took 2-0 from seven balls for Egremont,
Overseas amateur Javon Grosvenor top-scored for Egremont with 29 but the only support in the middle order came from Owen Thompson (21). Paul O’Callghan took 4-29 for Millom.
Former Keswick professional Geeth Kumara was hired again as sub pro by Whitehaven after starring for them in a Higson Cup win.
This time he guided them to their first League win by 19 runs at home to Wigton, not with the bat but with the ball.
He only made 12 before being trapped leg before by Glen Liddle after Whitehaven had made a solid start through openers Nathan Carmichael (30) and Stephen Holliday (23).
Liddle was miserly as ever, taking 2-17 from his ten overs while Elliott Armstrong had 3-42 from 6.4 overs and Whitehaven were bowled-out for 155.
Kumara was the match-winner when Wigton batted as he took 5-20 from his ten overs with Jonathan Stewart taking 2-32, also from ten overs. Jack Whinn (27) top-scored for Wigton.
After suffering their first defeat of the season last week Workington bounced back to winning ways with a six wicket win at Dalton.
The home side was bowled-out in the 45th over for 133 with Amari Goodridge top-scoring on 63. The wickets were shared out among five bowlers.
In reply Workington were guided to victory by pro Lahiru Dilshan (37no), Callum Sutton (31) and Kristian Moffat (20).
