The top three sides in the Cumbria Cricket League Premier Division all won yesterday to maintain a tight battle for the championship.
But the most significant result saw Cockermouth beaten at home by Wigton, to surely end their hopes of being involved in the title race.
Wigton had chosen to bat first and although they only managed 122-9 from their 50 overs it proved to be enough.
Mind you without opener George Johnston’s patient 63 Wigton would have been in trouble as Lewis Little (17) down the order was the only other batsman in double figures.
County spinner Matthew Siddall (3-35) was the most effective of the Cockermouth bowlers.
Gareth White (38) looked to do the same sheet-anchor job as Johnston but when he was trapped leg before by John Reed at 61-3 the Cockermouth resolve seemed to melt away.
They were bowled out for 100 in 39.3 overs with extras the second best score on 16.
Wigton pro Chris Hodgson (4-23), Little (3-19) and Reed (3-25) proved an effective combination for Wigton.
Leaders Furness and second-placed Carlisle scored over 600 runs between them as they went on to record massive victories.
Furness added to Cleator’s woes as they tumble down the table by hammering 315-7 from their 50 overs and then dismissed the visitors for a paltry 49.
Yash Dubey (119) and Sam Dutton (69) were the main batsmen for Furness as they put on 149 runs for the third wicket.
Dutton was also the most successful bowler for Furness, taking 4-17 while Samson Storey had 3-4 and Peter Lawson took 3-25 as Cleator capitulated.
Carlisle were almost as impressive as they disposed of the Lindal Moor challenge at Edenside, winning by 215 runs.
Professional Michael Slack led the way with 118 off only 100 balls and he shared in a second wicket stand of 169 with Marc Brown (80). Opener Nico Watt (38) and Jonathan Davidson (28) also contributed to the Carlisle total of 298-6.
Lindal Moor needed a late-order burst from Freddie Scrogham (33) to reach 83 as they were all out after 28 overs.
Spinners Watt (5-32) and Josh Stirling (3-20) did the damage for Carlisle who stay two points behind Furness.
Workington are a further two points further behind in third after they had beaten Egremont by 29 runs at the Valentine Ground.
The home side had been asked to bat first and after losing both openers cheaply to Coady Scott, also lost overseas amateur Davis Mills with just 51 on the board.
Half the side were back in the pavilion for 75 when, not for the first time, skipper Matthew Lowden pulled his side round. He made 57 when he was run out off the final ball of the innings.
Workington had reached 160-7 by that time, a more competitive total than had looked likely earlier with Jack Thompson (2-12 off ten) and Scott (2-32) doing well with the ball for Egremont.
Egremont were kept in the contest by Owen Thompson, who was unbeaten on 42 at the end, patiently accumulated off 102 deliveries. Skipper Scott (16) tried to keep his side moving at the end, keeping Thompson company but they were bowled out for 131 off 44.2 overs.
David Pearce (3-22) and Ben Scott (3-27) were the most effective Workington bowlers.
There were over 560 runs at the Playground where Whitehaven lost an entertaining game with Millom by 50 runs.
Millom’s new pro Madhav Kaushik set the tone with a sparkling 163 off only 136 deliveries and which included 20 fours and six sixes.
Skipper Graham Dawson hit 50 further down the order and after 50 overd Millom had made 308-8. Chase Young took 4-58 for Whitehaven.
The home side were without pro Terance Warde who had flown back to the West Indies to see his son’s school inauguration and will be back next week-end.
Their sub pro Asad Shafiq (55), Young (58 off 29) and Leo Sanczuk (35 off 24) got Whitehaven off to an excellent start but they lost momentum further down the order and were eventually bowled-out for 252 at the start of the 48th over.
Impressive pro Kaushik took 3-9 from 3.1 overs.
Keswick are on the move at last after a slow start to the season and a win over bottom side Haverigg moved them into the top half of the table.
Haverigg batted first and the opening stand of 45 between Drew Postlethwaite (25) and Umar Waheed (23) was the best of the innings. Young Zac Mawdsley (21) did his bit down the order but they were bowled-out for 125 in the 37th over.
Dan Gaskell (3-18) and Glen Weightman (3-40) were the main wicket takers for Keswick.
Interruptions from rain showers meant that Keswick had a revised target of 118 from 42 overs but they were comfortably home on 123-5 in the 26th over.
Ben Sharp (43) and Weightman (28no) were the men largely responsible for Keswick easing to the required total.
