Cockermouth have finally landed their overseas amateur for the 2022 season after a couple of false starts.
Mikyle Louis, a 21-year-old West Indian from St. Kitts has arrived and will make his Cockermouth debut in Saturday’s Cumbria League home game with Millom.
Louis, a right hand bat and leg break bowler, made his debut for the West Indies Under-19’s side when he was only 16.
Cockermouth, denied a professional this season because of an administrative club oversight, were also unable to go through with their first choice Asad Afridi as overseas amateur when his original registration was overturned.
They have used fellow Pakistani, the veteran Babar Naeem in two recent games, but have opted to go for the promising Louis.
Millom had been going well until coming unstuck last week at Keswick and will be looking to make amends at Sandair.
Carlisle are going well at the head of affairs in the Premier Division, the only unbeaten side so far in the competition and who made progress in the Higson Cup as well.
But they will be wary of the weekend hosts Whitehaven who were struggling last time they met at the Playground, but inspired by Chase Young recorded a memorable victory.
Carlisle, with professional Mike Slack in great form, have to make one change with Fraser Conn unavailable and Henry Walker in to deputise.
Whitehaven are still unable to give a debut to new professional Timycen Maruma who has not fully recovered from a broken hand.
They have again managed to bring in former Keswick pro Geeth Kumara who has already played significant roles in two wins so far in the League and Higson Cup.
Champions Furness had a successful weekend in League and Cup – winning a thriller at Keswick by four runs and then progressing in the ECB National Cup Championship at Formby.
In the Cup game at Formby a total of 48 extras, including 30 wides boosted the Furness 40-overs total to 226-8. Top scorers were Lewis Gribbin (45), Sam Dutton (34), Bradley Chapples (27) and Wyll Stanway (23).
Formby were bowled out for 209 in the final over with the wickets shared around, but best return was by Garry Thompson (3-38).
On Saturday they host Cleator who were beaten at Carlisle last week and who still have to find some consistent form.
Furness follow up on Sunday with a trip to Egremont in the first round of the Higson Cup seeking to join Whitehaven, Carlisle and Cockermouth in the quarter finals. Workington, Dalton, Millom and Wigton all received first round byes.
It’s a busy weekend for Egremont as they host Dalton on Saturday in a key Premier Division game.
Egremont are bidding to lose their yo-yo tag and will see this as an opportunity against bottom-of-the-table Dalton to secure 10 precious points.
Workington won at Dalton last week, bouncing back from a narrow home defeat by Wigton, and have a tasty-looking home clash with Keswick.
It was a double setback for the Fitz Park side for as well as that narrow League defeat to Furness they crashed out of the Higson Cup at Cockermouth 24 hours later.
The round of fixtures is completed by Wigton versus Haverigg – a game which both sides will have targeted for points to move them up the table.
