
Cockermouth won the Higson Cup for the first time when they beat Furness in Sunday’s final at Haverigg.
The Sandair side, beaten in two previous final appearances in 2000 and 2012, got home by six wickets with 4.1 overs to spare.
It means that the League’s top three trophies are likely to be shared around with Furness the T20 winners and Carlisle on the verge of retaining the Premier Division title.
Furness had won the toss and elected to bat with professional Yash Dubey adopting the sheet anchor role after losing opening partner Lewis Gribbin (5) trapped leg before by Sam Sharp.
Faizan Ghumman was also out leg before to Cockermouth pro Sameera Sedamal and at 23-2 from eight overs there was work to be done.
Left arm spinner Matthew Siddall produced a really mean spell of nine overs, four of which were maidens and took 2-7.
He had Nathan Waterston caught behind by Sam Scully and then Ryan Carruthers produced a fine catch at mid-wicket throwing himself forward to hold the ball inches from the ground to dismiss Bradley Chapples without scoring.
It was now 54-4 from 22.1 overs, but Dubey was batting resolutely and was Furness’ big hope.
A drinks break often produces a wicket and it did on this occasion as Cockermouth celebrated the dismissal of Dubey.
Trying to force away Josh Brown he mis-timed the shot and it spooned up for the bowler to take the catch. It was now 70-5 off 26.5 overs with Cockermouth on top.
The Furness cause wasn’t helped when Liam Curwen suffered a calf injury completing a quick single and had to retire.
The next big wicket for Cockermouth was Daly (10) and it was Sadamal who got him, clean bowled attempting to sweep at 89-6.
It was soon 94-7 when Sadamal raced from mid-off to take a catch off Alex Grainger which saw the end of Samson Storey (12).
Garry Thompson dominated the closing overs for Furness hitting a valuable 26 not out off 25 balls but the innings closed after 45 overs at 128-7.
Sadamal backed-up Siddall well, taking 2-24 from his nine overs.
Cockermouth didn’t start well at all, slipping to 13-2 with both Grainger (3) and Carruthers (0) soon back in the pavilion.
Grainger had been spectacularly caught at mid-wicket by Daly off Thompson while Carruthers lofted one from his fourth ball off Peter Lawson to Storey at mid-on.
When Gareth White (17) went, caught behind by Waterston off Daly the Sandair side had slipped to 28-3 off 15.4 overs.
Skipper Matty Sempill and Sadamal set about retrieving the situation and when they stopped for drinks Cockermouth were 51-3 from 23 overs. Furness had been 54-4 at the same stage so the game was nicely poised.
In fact it was this partnership, the highest of the match (68) which effectively turned the game in Cockermouth’s favour.
Sempill (43) was eventually out, caught behind off Thompson, but the score had moved significantly on to 96-4 and there were still almost ten overs left.
The 40th over virtually decided it as Greg Platten took 18 off Dubey, with two fours and a six, and his side were almost there.
They won it with Sadamal (29no) hitting a three off the penultimate ball of the 41st over. Platten had played his part with 21 not out from 20 deliveries.
Cockermouth have had some surprise setbacks in the League to seriously dent their title hopes, but lifting the Higson Cup for the first time was a pleasant consolation.





