The race for the Cumbria League Premier Division title tipped again in favour of champions Carlisle.
For while they were able to finish their game with Wigton and win fairly comfortably, rivals Cockermouth were rained off in a very strong position at Egremont.
It’s the second time that the weather has helped Carlisle and not Cockermouth, with the champions now opening up a ten point lead.
Only two of yesterday’s games produced a finish with the other four all abandoned because of the intervention of rain.
Carlisle didn’t hang about as they bowled-out neighbours Wigton for just 48 after their visitors had elected to bat first.
John Reed (12) was the only Wigton batsman in double figures as they folded in 25.1 overs.
Nico Watt, a former Wigton player, took 4-15 and Chris Blythe had 4-21 with sub-pro Dan Salpietro taking the other two wickets for just four runs.
It wasn’t exactly plain sailing for Carlisle but they wanted to get home in a hurry in case of rain stopping them short.
They claimed the points at 49-4 after 10.2 overs with Salpietro (18no) and Ben Davidson eventually seeing them home.
Dean Thomlinson was a threat for Wigton, finishing with 3-29.
The only other game to produce a result was at the opposite end of the county where Furness were winners on Duckworth Lewis against their hosts Dalton.
Furness rattled-up 251-4 before declaring in the 42nd over. Their free-scoring professional Matthew Kleinveldt (101no of 95 balls) led the way and once he reached his century Furness declared.
Mark Daly (47) and Lewis Gribbin (35) were solid in their support of the pro with Josh Edwards (2-21) putting in a good effort for Dalton off eight overs.
The weather had in impact on Dalton’s reply when they were asked to score on a revised calculation of 82 for victory but they were short at 71-1.
Kagiso Rapulana (32no) and Callum Leach (27no) just failed to get Dalton home.
Other games started but none could be played through to a conclusion with title challengers Cockermouth badly affected.
They had declared on 231-1 of 31.2 overs but never got a chance to get back on at Egremont.
Alex Grainger was 112no after fellow opener Gareth White had retired on 31 with a pulled hamstring while skipper Matt Sempill hit a quick-fire 82 off 46 deliveries and when he was bowled by Ellis Gribbin he called a halt.
Sempill hit nine sixes – six of them in one over by Ollie Wilford – to go into the League record books.
Keswick were looking good for the points at home to Cleator when the rain ended the game early.
Cleator, put-in to bat, made 118-7 from their 38 allotted overs with pro Rishabh Tiwari making 76 of those. Steven Lee (21) gave most support.
James McGown led the Keswick attack and too 4-5 from eight overs.
When play ended Keswick had reached 65-0 off nine overs as openers Arran Davies (38no) and Will Atkinson (25no) did their best to beat the incoming weather.
Fourth-placed Whitehaven had made 156-4 off 32 overs against Millom when they could go no further.
Pro Terance Warde (51no), Chase Young (41) and Nathan Carmichael (27) were among the runs. Rob Wilson took 3-31 from his ten overs.
The other game to stop short was at Haverigg where Workington were the visitors in what had been billed as something of a relegation battle. Haverigg would most rue the intervention of the weather.
They had been put-in to bat and although 134 all out wasn’t a challenging total they had their visitors 17-3 when play ended.
Dale Graham (40) and Joe Harvey (37) were the main scorers for Haverigg while skipper Matthew Lowden (3-22) and Australian Kack White (3-35) did best with the ball for Workington.
The west Cumbrians had started badly, with three wickets down in six overs, but the rain ended any Workington fight-back – or Haverigg push for victory.
