Cup competitions take centre stage in the Cumbria League this afternoon.
The usual league fixtures are put to one side, as the reduction from 12 to 10 teams, allows extra Saturdays for knock-out cricket.
The Higson Cup quarter finals have set up four intriguing ties.
Wigton are on a roll after two successive victories in the Premier Division – ending Keswick’s unbeaten record and then beating the bottom side Carlisle seconds by eight wickets.
They have an attractive home tie with Furness, the reigning league champions who have already lost two of their Premier Division games.
The two sides who had to battle through a preliminary round tie meet up at the JD Campbell Memorial Ground.
It’s Cleator v Workington who won through with victories respectively over Keswick and Dalton.
Both club professionals are in good form and should be a competitive affair.
Cockermouth entertain Millom and they started the season with a big win over their South Cumbrian rivals, by 212 runs.
Millom pro Nathan Waterston has put in a couple of big scores since then and he and the experienced Graham Dawson are going to be key figures for the visitors.
Cockermouth, however, slipped to a costly defeat at home to Workington last week and will be extra keen to bounce back this afternoon.
The fourth tie looks to be loaded towards hosts Whitehaven, who lead the table and have the bottom side Carlisle seconds as their visitors.
The big news, as far as Whitehaven are concerned, is that new pro Kevin Perera has been cleared and will be in the line-up for the first time.
The Sowerby Cup quarter final ties are: Caldbeck v Cockermouth 2nds; Lanercost v Edenhall; Egremont v Whitehaven 2nds and Wetheral v Threlkeld.
