Cumbria are in a great position going into the last day of their opening NCCA Championship game at Jesmond.
But the weather prospects are not good and the forecast suggests there will not be enough time for the deciding final innings to be played.
Northumberland need 242 to win, starting from scratch this morning, after 26 wickets fell on the second day.
Cumbria had resumed on 106-4 and were hoisted to an all-out total of 252, mainly through the efforts of Kendal big-hitter Freddie Fallows.
An opener in limited overs cricket, Fallows entered the fray at number eight and proceeded to take apart the Northumberland attack.
When he arrived Cumbria were 113-6 and when he left 18 overs later the total had moved on to 233-8 of which he had scored 106.
It was a spectacular century which included eight sixes and nine fours and only took 64 deliveries.
One six hit a house outside the ground and had to be retrieved by workmen resurfacing the road and he repeated the trick the very next ball. One six went onto the clubhouse roof and another landed in a house garden.
Former Cumbria player, Northumberland captain Jacques Du Toit suffered most with his four overs going for 44.
Fallows was finally caught at cover and the Cumbria innings eventually ended on 252, well beyond which looked possible earlier in the day.
Stan McAlindon (26) and Reece Irving (25) were the other main contributors while Matt Oswell persevered for Northumberland and finished with 6-75 from 20 overs.
Cumbria made a splendid start when Northumberland batted and were reduced to 10-4 in less than ten overs, three of them to Kendal’s Sam Sharp.
Du Toit (35) and Oswell (24) steadied the ship but Northumberland were eventually bowled-out for 120 with Sharp finishing with 4-28 while Ben Walkden had 4-24. Cumbria never turned to their spinners as they reflected on a lead of 132 before going out for a second time.
Batting again it was Cumbria’s turn to struggle and on this occasion Fallows wasn’t able to pull them out of the mire.
They lost half the side for 44 and Fallows, coming in higher up the order only managed nine off six balls, although one of them went for six.
Sharp (27no) and Nico Watt (25) were the main contributors for Cumbria second time round when they were bowled-out for 109. Wickets were more evenly spread this time and George Darwood did best with 3-12 from his seven overs.
So, all set for a very interesting finish – unless the weather is as predicted and spoils it all.
