WINDERMERE were back in the winning groove in Westmorland Cricket League Division One after returning from Ambleside with a welcome win.

It turned out to be convincing win for the visitors who dismissed their hosts for 93 then reached their target for the lost of just four wickets.

N Lewthwaite was the pick up the Windermere bowlers with a 'five-for' ending with figures of 5-36.

The 12 point victory, Windermere's four win of the season, sees them rise up to seventh place.

Warton came out on top against Milnthorpe in a fantastic game of cricket played in front of a large crowd.

Gareth Finney won the toss again and chose to be positive and bat first on what looked liked an excellent wicket.

Stuart Mayor quickly departed (8) but Ryan Nelson and Darren Moore scored quickly to push the score to 30 within five overs.

Moore went for 15 and Ricky Nelson then ran himself out for one. Tom Barnfield continued to play positively and his innings was to prove crucial. Milnthorpe were very much in control as Warton slipped to 88-6 but Barnfield passed 50 and Crowther hit some lusty blows with a couple of towering sixes. Barnfield eventually departed for an excellent 65 and with Ryan Needham adding a useful 13 at the end Warton not only managed to bat their full allocation of overs but ended on a defendable 177.

In reply, Milnthorpe had a disastrous start and were 0-2 as both C Baldwin and S Bowman departed without scoring.

A Pennington and M Wills began to rebuild but it was the introduction of Ryan Nelson's spin that was to turn the game on its head. As Pennington and Wills passed their fifties Milnthorpe were once again in the ascendancy but as Nelson began to find his range Milnthorpe began to lose wickets.

With Pennington out (52) the responsibility fell to the experienced Wills and with T Parkinson hitting boundaries Milnthorpe were still up with the run rate.

Finney took an excellent catch to remove Parkinson off Nelson and Singleton was cleaned up by the returning Crowther. It was game on now as Milnthorpe required 25 with three wickets in hand but when Wills (67) was brilliantly stumped by Barnfield off Nelson this was to hand the initiative back to Warton and it was left to Crowther (4-30) to clean bowl the last man to give Warton victory. Ryan Nelson finished with 5-57.

Shireshead consolidated their place at the top of the league with an eight wicket victory at home to Sedgwick.

The visitors won the toss and decided to bat first.

Ian Wilson (22) and D Greenwood (48) added 50 for the first wicket to build a sound foundation, until the introduction of Tom Jacques (2-29) made the breakthrough for Shireshead as he bowled Wilson.

Greenwood, however, continued to take the innings forward and it was only when he became the third wicket to fall with the score at 92 did Shireshead get a real grip on the game.

Peter Wilson (3-18) had now been introduced into the attack to bowl in tandem with Rowan Upton (5-27), and they gradually suffocated the innings with the pressure they applied. 8 wickets fell whileonly 21 further runs were scored as the Sedgwick innings subsided to 113 all out.

Upton once again was the star of the Shireshead bowling with his 15 over spell.

The Shireshead reply began like an express train as Tom Jacques struck a succession of boundaries as he careered to 55 from just 41 balls with strokes all round the wicket. Jacques and skipper Paul Yates (25) added 81 for the first wicket before Phil Bovis and Danny Wilkinson saw Shireshead home.

Second-placed Westgate slipped to defeat at Arnside who enjoyed a 15-point victory.

Batting first the hosts posted 201-9 from their allotted overs and Westgate, who are now 20 points adrift of Shireshead, ended on 197-9.

G Cassidy scored an unbeaten 107 as Heysham beat struggling Bare.

Heysham ran up the runs, finished on 2102-4 then bowled their hosts out for just 75 with A Ideson posting remarkable figures of 5-5.

And Burneside (174-6) earned a winning draw against Silverdale (134-9).

In Division Two, Shireshead's lead at the top has been cut to three points despite beating BLS.

BLS were bowled out for 189 with M Cole top scoring with 87. I Ullah took 6-16.

In reply, Shireshead posted 192-4 with C Twiname making 86.

Second-placed Coniston picked up 15 points as they won at Holme.

The visitors posted 183-9 with Holme scoring 145 all out in reply.

A Thistlethwaite scored 117 as Warton (263-8) won at Carnforth (203-8).