Cockermouth ended Carlisle’s unbeaten run in the Cumbria League when they won their Higson Cup quarter final at Sandair.
Carlisle had won all their Premier Division games, adding victories in the Higson Cup and Robin Dunn T20 series, before Sunday’s showdown.
Inspired by a fine knock of 116 from opener Alex Grainger, Cockermouth won by six wickets as overseas amateur Mikyle Louis smashed a six off the first ball of the final over.
Cockermouth had won the toss and invited Carlisle to bat first and after 11 overs they had made a good start with 56 runs on the board, but both openers Tom Benn (14) and Nico Watt (20) had gone.
A third wicket stand of 39 between professional Michael Slack and Ben Davidson did see the run-rate dip but it had the potential to provide the platform Carlisle needed to propel them to a perceived-par of 240 plus.
But a smart piece of stumping by Sam Scully off Matthew Siddall removed the dangerous Slack for 34 and at 95-3 Carlisle had to rebuild.
Some tight Cockermouth bowling kept Carlisle in check and when Sempill had James Dawson trapped leg before the visitors’ run rate had dropped to less than four an over.
After Jonathan Musgrave had been unfortunately run out, Henry Walker (24) produced a brief cameo of four fours and a six.
Davidson was left to guide the tail to 200-plus and he finished unbeaten on 75 not out from 107 balls and which included four fours and a six.
There was the general feeling that on a very good wicket Carlisle had, perhaps, fallen 40 runs or so short of what they wanted and would have needed.
Certainly openers Grainger and Sam Sharp, just back from holiday and injury, made it look easy as the put on 126 for the first wicket. Sharp was given out leg before to Walker in the 27th over.
Grainger had been the dominant partner, building his innings confidently and impressively with an array of shots against all the Carlisle bowlers – a personally rewarding effort as he has not been in the best nick this season.
When he was out at 189-3 he had scored at virtually a run-a-ball (116 off 117) hit 16 fours and a six, and he departed leaving Cockermouth 16 to win from 5.2 overs.
Carlisle, by their body language alone had looked well beaten from a fair way out, but it was to their credit that they revived and took the game to the final two overs with Cockermouth still needing 10.
But nine, including four byes, from Slack’s penultimate over left only a single needed and West Indian Louis won it in the grand manner with a six off Chris Blythe’s first delivery.
There seems no doubt that these two will be slugging it out for the Premier Division title come the end of the season. At the moment 100 per cent Carlisle have an eight-point lead and do have a decision over Cockermouth in the first game of the season at Sandair.
Finally, a nice touch from man of the match Grainger, who came in from his eye-catching innings to enjoy a cool drink before shaking hands with his dad John, watching from the pavilion balcony. He wished him a happy Father’s Day – and the century was comfortably his best present!
