Carlisle Cricket Club were at first frustrated and then elated from their two scheduled games with Cumbria Cricket League Premier Division title rivals Furness.

As generally predicted, Saturday’s Premier Division clash was washed out without a ball being bowled.

But Sunday’s clash in the quarter-finals of the County Cup went ahead and proved to be a real cliff-hanger.

It might have been a low-scoring affair but that only added to the drama as Carlisle successfully defended a modest 40-overs total of 86-9.

Furness started well enough but continued to stutter and were eventually bowled out for 75.

Teenage bowlers Henry Walker and Stanley Mcalindon took three wickets apiece, while Fraser Conn and Phil Frazer shared the other four.

The Carlisle innings was built around a gritty 31 from professional Michael Slack.

Marc Brown, Carlisle's skipper, said: "It was an inadequate total in many ways, so the way we defended it showed real strength and a lot of determination.

"We have a young, talented, side who never gave up and I was delighted for all of them.

"The bowlers performed so well with young Henry and Stan, knocking the heart out of their middle order."

Carlisle travel to Workington tomorrow, looking to keep tabs on Furness who entertain Keswick.

In fact, Carlisle all-rounder Ruairidh Barker has joined Keswick, and could be in for a baptism of fire against the league leaders.

Barker is switching from Edenside because his parents are moving home to live near Keswick at Applethwaite. He is already highly-rated at his new club, who have also announced a double registration in Robert Spedding, a former Keswick junior who has been playing a high standard of cricket while studying medicine at St Andrew’s University in Edinburgh.

Keswick have been hit by injuries and work commitments this season so the double recruitment is welcome, especially ahead of a trip to the league leaders.

Players across the league will just be hoping they get in some cricket tomorrow after last Saturday’s near washout.

Like Carlisle, Keswick were also in County Cup action on Sunday but sent a depleted side to Dalton and were beaten by six wickets.

They did manage 169-8 from their 40 overs but Dalton’s pro Lasith Lakshan was dropped twice on his way to 70 not out as the hosts won on 171-4.

Carlisle’s hosts tomorrow, Workington, will be looking for a new captain shortly as Robbie Lambert is leaving to take up a teaching appointment in Qatar.

Vice-captain Matthew Lowden is expected to step up at the end of July through to the end of the season.

Wigton were the only winners on a rain-hit Saturday when they won at bottom side Egremont by three wickets.

Egremont made 143 in 35 overs, much of it because of a fourth-wicket partnership between professional Shikhar Mehta (60) and Mark Ponticelli (46), who has been their main run gatherer this season.

Martyn Turner spearheaded the Wigton attack and took 4-14 from nine tight overs.

Wigton didn’t have it their own way in reply as Alex Hodgson took 4-26 for Egremont. Lewis Little (48) and Ben Purdham (38) saw the visitors to victory on 146-7 in 28.5 overs.

They will bid to follow-up at home to Cleator while there’s a tasty west Cumbrian derby clash at the Playground.

Whitehaven, who lost to Egremont in the Higson Cup after being skittled at Gillfoot, have their chance of revenge in the league.

There’s also a south Cumbrian derby between Dalton and Millom while champions Cockermouth entertain Lindal Moor.

On Sunday, the long-awaited (held over from last season) finals day of the County Under-19 T20 competition will take place with hosts Keswick LakeHawks taking on holders Carlisle at 11am, to be followed by Whitehaven v Furness and, subsequently, the final.