The underdogs won the Higson Cup semi-finals with Workington and Wigton going through to the final.
Most pundits were suggesting that the two top four sides – Cumbria League leaders Cockermouth and reigning champions Furness would triumph.
The odds shifted, though, when Cockermouth lost three players to the Cumbria squad and Furness’ two openers were also called-up for the NCCA Trophy quarter final in Cambridgeshire.
Time was when a Higson Cup-tie would not have been affected (or very little) by a Cumberland (in those days) fixture.
But since the Minor Counties became the National Counties and sides were more reliant on their own home-bred players, local clubs have been supplying more of them.
There are plenty of free Sundays so fixture planning in future should be able to avoid any similar clashes.
In the meantime Wigton and Workington can look forward to a showdown with the Cumbria League’s showpiece knock-out trophy up for grabs.
Since the Cumbria League was formed in 2000 the Higson Cup was a preserve of teams contesting the North Lancashire League.
Wigton have never won the trophy. Indeed this will be the first time they have reached the final so there’s a great sense of achievement in the current side getting there.
They already held a limited overs decision over Cockermouth having beaten them at Sandair off the last ball of a T20.
Cockermouth, without three Cumbria players and injured overseas amateur Mikyle Louis, won the toss and decided to field.
Consequently Wigton opener George Johnston produced his best knock of the season as he anchored the innings with an important 53 from 100 balls.
Matthew Reed (30) and George Spark (25) offered good support and there was a late cameo from number ten bat Cameron McGuinness (22no).
Gareth White (2-22) had the best return for Cockermouth with Alex Grainger taking 2-35, but all six bowlers took a wicket.
Wigton finished their 45 overs with a satisfactory total of 199-8.
White settled into the sheet anchor role and made 72 for Cockermouth but once Grainger (25) and Ryan Carruthers (33) had gone the response was virtually non-existent.
The last seven batsmen only managed 14 runs between them and they were bowled-out for 157 – some 42 runs short.
Wigton pro Chris Hodgson, a former Cockermouth player, took a splendid 4-10 from nine overs. Other wicket takers were Spark (2-22), Lewis Little (2-26) and Glen Liddle (2-34).
Down at Furness it was Workington who came out on top, beating their hosts by three wickets with 3.1 overs to spare.
Workington, fresh from a nail-biting home League win over Millom, had beaten Furness in last year’s final. They have won it five times since the League was formed 22 years ago and only Furness have won it more.
Furness chose to bat after winning the toss and quickly lost four wickets – all to different bowlers as stand-in skipper Kristian Moffat cleverly switched his attack.
It was left to opener Lewis Gribbin (48) to dig Furness out of a hole with the backing of Garry Thompson (24) and Liam Curwen (21).
They eventually reached 147 all out in 42.4 overs with professional Lahiru Dilshan continuing his good run with the ball by taking 3-24 from his nine overs.
There was good support from Moffat (2-24), Ben Scott (2-25) and David Pearce (2-37).
Workington lost openers Moffat and Jake Daniel quickly before Dilshan (63) and Nick Wood (38no) put together essentially what was the match-winning third wicket partnership of 97.
However when Dilshan was out, caught behind off Peter Lawson, there was a minor collapse. Thomas Fox and Sam Bates were both run out while Pearce and Liam Hazzard soon followed.
But Wood remained calm and assured, promoted from second team duty on Saturday, and he saw Workington to their target on 148-7.
Veteran skipper Lawson took 3-33 for Furness with Thompson claiming 2-14.
