Carlisle skipper Michael Slack suggested Keswick might be among the main challengers for the Cumbria League title when giving his pre-season assessment.
Premier Division champions for the last two years, Carlisle entertained Keswick in their first game and Slack’s prediction proved accurate as the Lakes side won by 11 runs.
Keswick had been invited to bat first and in their 50 overs reached 177-7 led by professional Risith Upamal (65no) and new recruit, county batsman Greg Cameron (39) with a late flourish from James McGown (20) in the tail.
Nico Watt was Carlisle’s best bowler as the Cumbria spinner took 2-25 from his 10 overs.
The game was in the balance for much of Carlisle’s reply and with 15 overs left they needed 71 with five wickets left.
Opener Marc Brown (33) had given them a solid enough start and Ben Davidson (46) kept them in it but new wicket keeper Matty Brown (17) was the only one in the lower order who made double figures.
They closed on 166-9 with James McGown (3-14) from his ten overs the most successful Keswick bowler.
Biggest winners on the day were Workington who overwhelmed hosts Egremont by 215 runs.
Put in to bat Workington raced to 277-8 in their 50 overs, which was built on two big partnerships.
New Australian overseas amateur Jack White (76) and skipper Matt Lowden (82) put on 85 for the fourth wicket, while Lowden then shared a fifth wicket partnership of 129 with Adam Chambers (36).
It was hard going for Egremont in the field but Coady Scott took 4-48 and new pro Raghav Kupar bowled ten tight overs for just 30.
In reply the Egremont batting was blown away in 23 overs for just 62 with Kupar (20) and Alex Hodgson (19) the only two in double figures. David Pearce was the most successful Workington bowler with 4-25.
Cockermouth have lost four key players and there some concerns ahead of the new season but they opened with a big win at Wigton by 107 runs.
Put in to bat it wasn’t looking good with half the side back in the pavilion for 65 and it needed a sixth wicket stand of 56 between Tom Norman (51no) and new wicket-keeper Chadd Pearson (30) to breathe life into the innings.
They eventually finished on 164-8 with home pro Chris Hodgson, also a former Cockermouth player, taking 3-19 from his ten overs.
In reply Wigton were shot-out for 57 in 20.4 overs with young prospect Josh Brown (5-16) and professional Shrikant Mundhe (3-16) doing the damage.
Very much like Cockermouth, question marks have been raised about Furness this season after they, too, have suffered departures.
They opened the season at Whitehaven where they went down to defeat by six wickets after winning the toss and electing to bat.
They made slow but steady progress with Lews Gribbin (37) and Sam Storey (18) putting on over 50 for the first wicket. However when Jonathan Stewart broke this partnership the Whitehaven spinners Lewis Keeler (3-31) and professional Terance Warde (4-36) began to take control.
Only new professional Matthew Kleinveldt (58no) offered any resistance and he was still there was the last wicket fell at 157 in 45.5 overs.
Chase Young (59) led the Whitehaven reply with a typically aggressive knock while skipper Steve Holliday (58) also hit a half century as they eased to a six wicket victory in only 24.3 overs.
It was up to 15-year-old Kian Larmour and Leo Sanczuk to hit the winning runs and give the Playground side a great start to the season.
Tightest match was at newly-promoted Dalton against Cleator which ended in a narrow Duckworth Lewis Method decision, with the hosts winning by one run.
Cleator had won the toss and elected to field and the Dalton innings was interrupted by rain for two overs, which proved crucial in the end.
In their 48 overs they reached 200-7 led by wicket-keeper Liam Curwen (70), Pancha Maduwantha (40) and skipper Joe Braund Smith (36).
Geeth Kumara, standing in as a sub pro for Cleator, was their most successful bowler with 2-39 from his ten overs.
With the two lost overs after the game had started the Duckworth Lewis yardstick came into operation and Cleator’s target became 203 from 48 overs.
They seemed to be going well, looking favourites to reach their target when Kumara was run-out for 64 by a direct hit from cover by Daniel Sharpe. Darren Clark (53) had done his bit but at the end of the 48th over they had scored 201-7 – losing out by a run.
Lewis Bayman put in a good nine over spell for Dalton, taking 2-22.
The game between Haverigg and Millom did not start because the outfield was considered unplayable.