Furness maintained their title challenge in the Premier Division of the Cumbria Cricket League with a tense ten-run victory at Millom last Saturday.

In a match reduced to 30 overs per side, Furness were asked to bat and posted 125-7, with Scott Pearcy making a valuable 34 and Millom’s Graham Dawson taking 3-19.

In reply, Danny Fallows with 54 and Dawson’s 36 kept the hosts in the game, but they slumped to 115 all out in the last over. Furness skipper Peter Lawson returned figures of 4-34 and Sachith Pathirana 3-18.

Leaders Carlisle had no trouble in defeating Whitehaven by ten wickets thanks to a stunning performance with the ball from Mike Slack.

The visitors were skittled for only 33 as Slack took an fantastic 7-19 before Carlisle openers Jonathan Davidson and Marc Brown each made 17 not out to rush the hosts to victory in just seven overs.

Robert Jones’ half-century helped Dalton to a thrilling two-wicket victory at home to Workington that went down to the wire.

Grant Reid carried Workington’s innings as he made 72 as part of the visitors’ 160-8, with captain Daniel Sharpe taking 4-48 for Dalton, for whom Jones made 50 and Joe Braund-Smith 42 not out to help the hosts to victory with five balls to spare.

Things were much more comfortable for Lindal Moor, who won by 74 runs at bottom club Egremont, after the hosts were bowled out for 55 in reply to Lindal’s 129 all out, as Janith de Silva took 5-27 and Ryan Gilmour 4-5.

Elsewhere, five wickets from Kavishka Anjula helped Cockermouth to a 29-run victory at Cleator, while Chris Hodgson took 5-25 for Wigton as they bowled Keswick out for 89 before 41 not out off as many balls from Theo Manihera helped them reach their target with four wickets to spare after 18 overs.