Carlisle laid down a big statement in the Cumbria League’s Premier Division when they hammered champions Furness at Edenside.
The League leaders notched-up their sixth win in as many games and did it in impressive fashion, beating the south Cumbrians by 153 runs.
Electing to take first use of their home track Carlisle rattled up 268-7 in their 50 overs with partnerships of 66, 40 and 72 at the top of the order setting the tone.
Professional Mike Slack (62), James Dawson (58), Marc Brown (41) and Tom Benn (27) all played their part in a successful launch pad to reach 268-7.
Furness were 2-2 with both openers back in the pavilion before a third wicket stand of 77 between Lewis Gribbin (37) and Joe Amison (35) gave them some degree of respectability.
But Bradley Chapples (14) was the only other batsman to reach double figures as the innings fell away and closed on 115 at the start of the 41st over.
The two spinners did most of the damage for Carlisle with young Johnny Westgarth taking 4-28 and the experienced Nico Watt claiming 3-4.
Cockermouth are the nearest challengers to the city side after they won by six wickets at Dalton to stay eight points behind.
Opener Rob Jones (26) top-scored for the home side in their all out total of 130 with skipper and county spinner Matthew Sempill returning the admirable figures of 6-15 off 9.4 overs.
Sempill completed an all-round man of the match performance by scoring 52 not out when Cockermouth won the game with Greg Plastten contributing an unbeaten 54. They had been rocking at 25-4 but the pair put on an unbroken fifth wicket stand of 109 to win the game in the 34th over.
Keswick beat Egremont at Fitz Park but probably not as comfortably as they expected after bowling out the visitors for 71.
Overseas amateur Javon Grosvenor (19) was the only Egremont batsman in double figures with home skipper James McGown taking 4-27 from his ten overs.
Keswick lost five wickets in achieving their target in the 24th over and they also only had one batsman in double figures, professional Risith Upamal who put together another important unbeaten knock of 36.
Upamal has only dismissed three times in seven innings and currently has a batting average of 105.67.
Millom have risen quietly to third in the table and they were comfortable winners over Wigton by 92 runs.
Batting first they had reached 248-6 in their 50 overs and then bowled-out Wigton for 156 in the 47th.
There were Millom half centuries for pro Primosh Perera (64), Graham Dawson (56) and Mike Wilson (50).
Workington slipped again to back-to-back defeats when they lost at Cleator by sieven wickets after electing to bat first.
From 67-3 they slumped to 71-7 and in the end could only muster 116 from 43.2 overs. Professional Lahiru Dilshan (25) and Lewis Hull (20) were the main contributors.
Darren Clark took 3-31 with his father Ian Clark picking-up 2-32 and late-on Cameron Bell grabbed 2-2 from eight deliveries.
Cleator recovered from 9-2 to 71-3, largely due to Darren Clark (40) before James Rogers (24no) guided the home side to victory from 23 overs.
Whitehaven struggled at Haverigg where they were eventually beaten by seven wickets and only had a point to show for their efforts.
Matthew Harrison (24) top-scored when they were put in to bat and could only muster 103, all out in the 39th over.
The wickets were shared around with Jordan Postlethwaite (3-17) the most successful.
Although the first three Haverigg batsmen could manage only 13 between them professional Sachin Jayawardena (50no) and Jordan Postlethwaite (30no) could not be parted and their unbroken stand of 58 carried the hosts to victory.
