Reigning champions Cockermouth Cricket Club climbed into third place in the Cumbria Cricket League’s Premier Division after a clear-cut win at Millom.

They got home by seven wickets and had almost 20 overs to spare after chasing down the hosts’ total of 135.

They had been put in a good position by leg-spinner Mark Middleton who bowled his full 15 overs stint and took 5-41. Millom’s main resistance came from Graham Dawson (37).

Although they lost their Cumberland opener Matthew Sempill for only two, Cockermouth were carried to victory in the end by a belligerent unbeaten 56 from Marcus Stables. It came off 50 balls and included four fours and four sixes.

Earlier, skipper Alex Grainger (39) and Greg Platten (28) had steadied the ship after Sempill’s early departure.
The problem for Cockermouth, after a slow start to the season, is they are playing catch-up and trail leaders Furness by 24 points and Carlisle by 18.

Carlisle were also winners by seven wickets as they saw off Dalton at Edenside after whipping them out for 84 in just 27.3 overs.

Henry Walker (4-8) and professional Mike Slack (4-34) did most of the damage.

A routine afternoon for Carlisle began with the visitors losing early wickets to the skill and control of Slack and medium pace opening partner, Fraser Conn.

Slack in particular, bowling full and straight, posed problems for Dalton who had opted to bat first after winning the toss.

By drinks, Slack’s eight overs had cost just 34, with half the visiting side back in the pavilion, including Dalton professional Lasith Lakshan who fell first ball.

Wickets continued to fall and it was Walker, attacking the stumps, who wrapped up the innings, as Dalton subsided to 84 all out, their last three batsmen falling without adding a run.

The combined efforts of Walker and Slack were just too much for mid-table Dalton and illustrate Carlisle’s current seam bowling strength in depth.

Slack took his run total to 489 before even the end of June as Carlisle withstood the early loss of stand-in skipper Ben Davidson to make victory certain.

When Slack was out for 34, it was left to Jordan Whinn, unbeaten on 17, and James Dawson to muster the final dozen runs needed to complete a comfortable win.

It was the fourth weekend in succession that Carlisle have dismissed their opposition for less than 100.

Furness were in no mood to slip up at bottom-of-the-table and winless Egremont. They bowled them out for 83 and then moved to a six-wicket win in 23.2 overs.

Egremont were 44-7 at one point and only an eighth-wicket stand between wicket-keeper Owen Thompson (17) and Coady Scott (16) got them to 84. Furness professional Sachith Pathirana returned the remarkable figures of 13-10-5-3.

Scott removed both Ryan Griffiths and Nathan Waterston to put some doubts in Furness minds but, from 28-2 and 38-3, they recovered through Joe Amison (25 not out) and Mark Daly (24) to reach 85-4. Scott took 2-30.

Cleator were comfortable winners of the west Cumbrian derby, beating Whitehaven by nine wickets.

Stephen Holliday was the main contributor for Whitehaven with 58 in an all-out total of 153. Chadd Pearson gave best support with 28. Bowling honours for Cleator were shared by James Rogers and Tom Sharpe who both took 4-22.
Sharpe (28) was the only Cleator wicket to fall as former Whitehaven opener Dave Watson hammered 81 not out and, with Darren Clark (31 not out), saw them through to 157-1 in 27.3 overs.

Wigton stayed next to bottom but some 20 points better off than Egremont after picking up two points in a five-wicket loss at Lindal Moor.

Several Wigton players got a start but, crucially, couldn’t go on to a big score which could have made the difference.

Kieran Little (38), pro Chris Hodgson (33), Martyn Turner (25), skipper Nico Watt (24) and John Reed (23) all made solid contributions in their total of 165 in 41.1 overs. Craig Crawford was the most successful Lindal bowler with 3-37.

Although Wigton got opener Ryan Gilmour without scoring, wickets didn’t fall quickly enough and professional Janith De Silva (52 not out) and Dean Williams (45) were largely responsible for them reaching 166-5 in 31.1 overs.

Keswick’s revival continued at Workington’s expense when the Lakesiders squeezed home by three wickets at Fitz Park.

Workington were asked to bat first and a steady opening partnership of 28 gave little indication of the slump that was to follow.

Openers Kristian Moffat (15) and Grant Reid (23) both departed, and then two quick wickets for home pro Geeeth Kumara had Workington stumbling on 50-4.

Callum Moffat hung around for 20 and Matthew Lowden was 17 not out but wickets fell at regular intervals and Workington were all out for 99. Dan Gaskell (4-17) and Kumara (4-29) did the damage for Keswick.

The hosts made a steady start after losing Charlie Robson for two and, when William Atkinson was bowled for 32 by Lowden, they looked well on the way at 63-3.

With Kumara anchoring one end, they moved to 91-4 before a sudden collapse saw them under pressure at 92-7. Crucially, Kumara was still there and his 27 not out got them over the line.