For once, perhaps, the key game in the Cumbria League’s Premier Division tomorrow will be a basement battle.
A hard-fought game is in prospect at Dalton where Whitehaven are the visitors in a battle of the Division’s bottom two.
Each has won only one game and as they go into the contest Dalton have a two-point advantage over their West Cumbrian rivals.
Whitehaven got their first look at new pro Timycen Maruma last week after his absence through a broken hand.
Although he failed to score or take a wicket on debut against Millom last week bigger things are expected, and when better to start than at Dalton.
Last season’s pro Terence Warde has been playing for the Leeward Islands and it was the West Indies Cricket Board’s decision to extend the season into June that meant he was unable to take up a second year’s contract at the Playground.
He has played in all five games so far, and has only been dismissed three times in seven innings which puts him third in the team’s batting averages.
He has a top score of 78 not out and an average of 56.66.
Meanwhile at the top of the table Carlisle’s batting tail was put to the test on Saturday and came up trumps, strengthening the belief that this could be their year in the Premier Division.
Haverigg had them rocking at 30-6 but they recovered to reach 148-9 at the end of their 50 overs – and that proved a winning score by some 80 runs.
The top of the order has been functioning well for the city side so far, so it was encouraging that once there was a combined failure, the tail was capable of wagging effectively.
Tomorrow they return to Edenside to entertain a Workington side which is in the process of rebuilding with some highly promising young players – but they need time.
Stalwarts Calum Moffat and brother Kristian are no longer playing regularly while the potentially explosive Simon Beare has retired.
Cockermouth have emerged as Carlisle’s main rivals, still just eight points adrift and tomorrow they visit Cleator, another side who are trying to re-build.
Third bottom Egremont have a six point lead over Dalton but will probably expect to drop, into the bottom two by the end of the day as they face a very tough trip to Furness.
Their hosts hit a spectacular 262-1 at Workington last week with a career best 151no from Nathan Waterston and any sort of points by Egremont will be considered good going.
Wigton have been quietly going about their business, building up League points and making progress to the semi-final of the Higson Cup.
To sit seventh, two points off the top half of the table, will be regarded as progress and tomorrow they can test themselves even more when they visit third-placed Keswick.
Recent defeats to Furness and Cockermouth have halted Keswick’s challenge and they will want to get back on track as quickly as possible.
Millom have improved again this year and will be targeting a top four spot as they face up to a local home derby with Haverigg.
