The T20 competition in the Cumbria League gets underway tonight with two fixtures.
In the West group Workington entertain Cleator at the Valentine Ground. This is a taster ahead of their Higson Cup quarter final clash, also at Workington, on Sunday, June 11.
Tonight’s other fixture is in the South section where Lindal entertain Haverigg.
Indeed there are also games in those two sections tomorrow night with the all Copeland affair of Whitehaven v Egremont in the West and Dalton v Millom in the South.
The opening game in the North is not until Friday, June 9 when Keswick take on Wigton at Fitz Park.
The weekend programme in the Cumbria League’s Premier Division only has one top-six clash.
In many ways it’s a surprise to see Lindal Moor involved in that match of the day billing, but is a nod to how they’ve adapted after winning promotion.
They will have their biggest test so far, however, when they make the relatively short trip to take on Furness.
We are already almost a third of the way through the season and Lindal are currently sixth in the table, 14 points behind a Furness side who are third.
They have won two games so far, and lost the opening game to rain, but the main target this summer would have been to retain their Premier Division status.
Carlisle are back on top, intent on retaining their League title and they visit Whitehaven – where they have suffered surprise set-backs in the past.
Whitehaven have been involved in relegation battles in recent years, narrowly surviving, and were looking to be free of those concerns after an excellent win over Cockermouth in their second game.
Like Lindal they have won two games and had one abandoned through rain, currently lying ninth in the table but only four points off a top six slot.
Workington are just two points behind Carlisle in second place and buoyed by an excellent win over Cockermouth last week in a gripping, low-scoring game.
They are back at the Valentine Ground again facing Haverigg, another side in a clutch of mid-table clubs separated by only a few points.
Cockermouth are now 19 points behind leaders Carlisle and can ill afford any more setbacks. They resume at home to Cleator, who are only just three points behind them.
Egremont have clearly found themselves an excellent pro this season in Vathsal Govind who scored his maiden century for the club in their win over Cleator.
The west Cumbrians visit Millom, who are still talking about the innings from their sub pro last week. Punit Bisht scored an unbeaten 213 at Keswick in what many people at the club say was the finest innings they have ever seen.
Bisht, the pro at Darwen in the Lancashire League after three years with Garstang only faced 152 balls, hit 31 fours and a six in the Millom total of 326-3.
Wigton are now the only team without a win and are ten points adrift at the bottom. They have to start picking up points soon before they are cut adrift.
Tomorrow they are at home to Keswick, who were on receiving end from Millom sub-pro Bisht on Saturday but did enjoy Higson Cup success on Monday against Whitehaven.
