The race for the Cumbria League’s Premier Division title tightened up after defeat for leaders Keswick.
They still head the table but now by only two points from champions Furness and are four ahead of Cockermouth, as both their rivals won.
Keswick went down by 49 runs at Millom where a dominant opening partnership, and a superb innings from skipper Graham Dawson put the home side in the driving seat.
Dawson and professional Nathan Waterston put on 154 for the first wicket in 27.1 overs.
Waterston was first to go for 51 while Dawson went on to make 139 off 120 balls. He hit 16 fours and eight sixes and a display of power hitting in two hours and 40 minutes at the crease.
Aiden Van de Vyver made a quick 26 not out down the order and Millom completed their 50 overs on 280-8. Ben Sharp was the most successful wicket taker for Keswick with 3-69.
Rain delayed Keswick’s reply and the revised target was 237 off 36 and that proved beyond them as they were bowled-out for 187 in 32 overs.
Glen Weightman completed his third century of the season, a blistering 109 off 59 balls which included eight fours and nine sixes.
But there was simply no support as Joe Brack at three (12) and last man Andy Bryson (11) were the only others in double figures.
It became the Dawson show for Graham took 3-44 and his son Maddox had 3-23.
Keswick’s defeat opened the door to Furness who moved to within two points of their rivals, but were made to work hard by Cleator. They eventually won by 23 runs.
Batting first Furness reached a not over-convincing 158-8, an innings dominated by opener Samson Storey (58) and professional Pramod Maduwantha (43no
Four Cleator bowlers took two wickets apiece with Darren Clark, 2-28 off 10 overs the best.
Cleator were going pretty well in reply until professional Dilan Jayalath was trapped lbw by Josh Shaw for 44 at 95-4 and the innings ran out of steam.
Ben Wishart (24) earlier and Tom Sharpe (20) afterwards were best of the rest.
But the innings gradually subsided with the last six wickets going down for the addition of 40 runs.
Maduwantha (3-20) and Shaw (3-31) were the pick of the Furness bowlers.
Cockermouth also closed up after they had won by five wickets at Workington after inviting their hosts to bat first.
The Workington openers, skipper Jake Daniel (10) and wicket-keeper Sam Bates (6), home from three weeks at the World Cup, couldn’t get going and it was left to pro Vishva Chathuranga (33) to anchor the innings.
But when he went at 69-7 to a stinging catch by Cockermouth skipper Matt Sempill, Workington were in big trouble and Kristian Moffat (10) and last man Ben Scott (10) were the only other batsmen to reach double figures. They closed on 105 with 11.2 overs still left.
Cockermouth wicket-keeper Sam Scully took four early catches and later stumped Scott to end the Workington innings.
Left-arm spinner Ethan Hardie-Knight took 4-11 and overseas amateur Jacob Madigan had 3-25 – all caught behind by Scully.
Although Alex Grainger and Gareth White both went cheaply, Sempill (46no) and Reegan Scott (30) moved Cockermouth steadily to their target and got there in the 38th over with five wickets in hand.
Moffat took 3-30 for Workington and Scott had 2-18.
After a disastrous June, it hasn’t started any better in July for Whitehaven who crashed to their fifth successive defeat – going down by 85 runs at Dalton.
The second game in the south of the county was also affected by rain and Whitehaven had a revised target to chase… but to no avail.
Put into bat Dalton responded well and the first eight batsmen all reached double figures, headed by Daniel Sharpe (50), Matthew Jones (27no), Vaibhav Bhatt (27) and Rob Jones (20).
They finished on 214-7 from their 50 overs with Tom de Gelder (2-27) the most successful Whitehaven bowler.
Rain then meant Whitehaven’s target later was revised to 204 from 38 overs but they were nowhere near with Steven Holliday (19) the top scorer. Professional Bhatt did the damage for Dalton with 6-22 from his nine overs.
In the fifth game at Wigton the home side completed their third win of the season when they beat Carlisle seconds by seven wickets.
Put in to bat Carlisle were eventually bowled out for 122 in 47.4 overs, a total that owed much to an unbeaten 56 from overseas amateur David Rhoda.
Five Wigton bowlers got among the wickets with pro Chris Hodgson (3-28) the most successful.
Opener Lewis Little (52) led the Wigton reply as they reached 125-3 in 25.3 overs.
