Cockermouth are the new leaders of the Cumbria’s League’s Premier Division after a key victory at Keswick.
With reigning champions Furness beaten at Whitehaven the top three changed positions with Millom suddenly in the picture in fourth, while Workington will consider they have a chance only a point further back in fifth.
It promises to be one of the most exciting battles for the Premier Division crown involving so many clubs who each have seven games to play.
Cockermouth started the day in third place and ended top; Keswick dropped from first to second while Furness are third after previously lying second.
The match of the day didn’t disappoint at Fitz Park where Cockermouth finished winners by 25 runs.
They had elected to bat first and their eventual total of 189-9 owed plenty to overseas amateur Jacob Madigan (49) and skipper Matty Sempill (40).
They had looked vulnerable at 99-6 until the captain found a willing ally in the Kiwi as they put on 54 for the seventh wicket.
Then Madigan nursed the tail until he fell in the final over, one short of what would have been his maiden League half century.
Professional Nisala Tharaka bowled 10 tight overs for 2-21, the most economical of the Keswick bowlers.
Keswick’s reply started brightly and promisingly with an opening stand of 62 in 14 overs between Andy Rigg (24) and Glen Weightman (45) but when the latter went at 93-3 the innings stalled.
Will Atkinson (19), Ben Sharp (18) and skipper Paul Hindmarch (16) all got starts but could not go on to produce the innings that could have won the game.
Madigan capped a fine individual performance by trapping Hindmarch leg before bowling Dan Gaskell as Keswick lost their last five wickets for just three runs – all out for 164.
Sempill (2-23), Alex Grainger (2-27), Madigan (2-28) and Ethan Hardie-Knight (2-30) shared the bowling honours for Cockermouth.
Meanwhile Furness might have arrived at the Playground expecting to add to Whitehaven’s nightmare ruin of five defeats in a row.
But the early league pace-setters bounced back to beat the champions by five wickets to collect their fifth win of the season.
Furness elected to bat first but lost both openers for just 12, including in-form Samson Storey who flies to Australia next week.
But Storey (11) and Tom Smith (16) proved to be the only batsmen to reach double figures apart from professional Pramod Maduwantha who anchored the innings with 65no off 138 balls.
The champions were bowled out for 122 with Steven Holliday (3-13) off 10 overs and professional Kevin Perera (3-22) off five doing most of the damage.
Kian Larmour (23) and Matthew Branthwaite (23) gave Whitehaven a solid start and then Perera (48no) saw his side over the line despite the best efforts of Maduwantha (3-32).
Millom have climbed steadily up the table and now sit fourth after a confident win at struggling Carlisle 2nds.
They won the toss and elected to bat, reaching 217-8 in their 50 overs with solid contributions from professional Nathan Watetrston (54), Aiden Van de Vyver (52) and captain Graham Dawson (43).
Will Bell was the most successful Carlisle bowler, taking 3-20 from his ten overs.
Jordan Whinn (52) was the mainstay in Carlisle’s reply, with best support from T Reay (24no ) and Freddie Newton (24) but they were eventually bowled out for 154 in 47 overs.
Workington are fifth in the table and will still consider themselves in with a shout after they beat Cleator by four wickets at the Valentine Ground.
The Cleator innings was largely built around opener Ben Wishart (59) and Jamie Martin (31) as they were restricted to 133-9 in their 50 overs. Ben Scott took 3-14 from his ten overs, six of which were maidens.
Workington skipper Jake Daniel (44no), coming in at number four instead of his usual opening slot, guided his side home with good support from Kristian Moffat (28). Earlier Sam Bates and pro Vishva Chathuranga had both made 20.
They got to 134-6 in 40-4 overs to collect the winning points.
In what looked to be a well-matched clash at Lowmoor Road Wigton came out on top comfortably in the end, beating Dalton by 93 runs.
Deciding to bat first there were plenty of runs throughout the order for Wigton as they reached 244-7 led by George Johnston (56), Mike Hill (48no) and pro Chris Hodgson (22).
In reply Dalton’s innings was built around opener Joe Braund Smith (69no) but there was no real support and they were bowled-out for 151 in 41 overs.
Hodgson took 3-29 for Wigton while Sam Murdock had 3-37, both from their 10 overs.
