Having got themselves back to the top of the Cumbria League’s Premier Division Carlisle will want to stay there.
They had an emphatic win last week at Cockermouth, their closest rivals, and that enabled them to leapfrog their Sandair opponents and take over at the top of the table.
The Carlisle lead is just four points, but it should have been five. However, they were docked a point because they were two days late in sending in an umpire’s report.
Battle renews on Saturday and the champions host Dalton at Edenside in a reversal of fixtures from June 29 – a quick turnaround in all cases.
However as far as Carlisle were concerned they never got to play at Dalton because of continual rain and they finally came home when the game was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Cockermouth fared better and were able to complete their match with Workington, eventually getting home by three wickets.
On Saturday they visit the Valentine Ground for the return to take on a Workington side desperate for a win to halt the slide which has seen them end-up next to bottom just 11 points better-off than Egremont.
The Cockermouth club is delighted, of course, that they made a bit of local history as two of their former players opposed each other in a Test match – and England skipper Ben Stokes actually dismissed former Sandair overseas amateur Mikyle Louis who had opened the innings for West Indies and top-scored with 27.
Best-looking match is at Fitz Park where Keswick entertain Whitehaven, two sides who are vying for third spot and are only a point apart.
Whitehaven lead their hosts by a single point and were fairly comfortable winners of the game two weeks ago at the Playground.
No doubt the team with the biggest incentive to turn things around from two weeks ago will be Furness after their humiliation at Gillfoot against struggling Egremont. Chasing a home total of 249-7 they were skittled for just 51.
That victory was a massive confidence boost for Egremont so the return is going to be one interesting contest.
Cleator and Haverigg are both in need of points to pull clear of the danger zone and in the clash a fortnight ago it was the south Cumbrians who came out on top by 85 runs.
They are both in the bottom four and Cleator, five points better off, will be looking to avenge that away defeat and increase their advantage over Saturday’s visitors.
Millom will be looking for a double when they entertain Wigton having won at Lowmoor Road two weeks ago.
They are 7th and 8th in the table with Wigton a point better off than Saturday’s hosts.
