It’s been a damp start for the Cumbria side in the National T20 competition with all three opening fixtures abandoned without a ball being bowled.
But the season finally got underway for the county when the Development side played the Northumberland Development team and won at Kendal by three wickets with four balls to spare.
Northumberland had sent a strong team for the 50-overs clash and they were inserted after Cumbria won the toss and elected to field.
They took the first wicket with the third ball, and eventually bowled out the visitors in the 49th over for 192.
Northumberland reached that total after recovering from 108/7 as brothers Matthew and John Oswell featured well for them.
Matthew, coming in at first wicket down scored 53 off 84 balls whilst John, batting at number 11, provided a late cameo of 20 not out from 19 balls to finish the innings.
For Cumbria both spinners Declan Tyson and Josh Stirling took three wickets while Development Team debutant Josh Wills took the early wicket to fall and finished off the innings with his second wicket.
Cumbria’s reply started steadily with the openers Will Atkinson and Faizan Ghumman (also on his debut for the team) being separated after an initial 41 run partnership. Thereafter the innings was held together by Evan Williams who top scored with 66 not out from 103 balls.
He received support initially from Ali Craig (15) another making his debut, then James Bowman (21) before Louis Backhouse helped finish the game with 14 not out from nine balls.
In the end Cumbria had needed 12 from the 49th over before Williams won the match with a six off the second ball of the final over.
The Development Team next play tomorrow at Haverigg against Cheshire with a scheduled start of 11am.
