NEW contenders for the top of the Westmorland Cricket League take a step forward in competition this week.

DIVISION 1

Carnforth established a 13 point lead at the top of Division 1 when they beat Milnthorpe by 75 runs. Batting first only Shane Dixon (23) and Darren Nelson (31) made notable contributions as they struggled at Milnthorpe to 138/9.

Nelson (2/10) and Tom Parkinson (2/6) made early inroads and only Darren Wills (15) and Craig Postlethwaite (16) made double figures for the hosts as Stan Rich (3/2) completed the job for Carnforth as Milnthorpe were dismissed for 63. Arnside had the worst of a draw at Westgate, who were given a century opening stand by Gary Tattersall (78) and Chris Carter (52).

Jim Crawford (3/49) slowed them down in his second spell, but 209/7 was an imposing total. Arnside lost early wickets but Ben Lenton (48) and Crawford (43 not out) did enough to secure a draw at 156/7. Heysham were also thwarted at Trimpell. Lee Calverley (53) and Liam Parkinson (93) gave the visitors a strong start before Peter McDermid (3/39) pegged them back.

Heysham chose not to declare finishing on 234/6 from their 45 overs. Trimpell lost early wickets but Mark Baldwin (32) and Scott Sparks (33) were the main contributors as Trimpell finished on 156/8, Graham Cassidy taking 3/35. James Ferguson made 61 as Bare were all out for 110 against Sedgwick with Thomas Ridley taking 4/34. Aaron Lomas made 59 not out as Sedgwick won by 8 wickets.

Stephen Foy (61) scored his maiden first team fifty as Shireshead scored 207/8 with Joe Oliver (31), Dave Jack (33) and Gareth Bleasdale(30) also in the runs.

Joe Sorrenson (3/46) and Ethan Elwood (3/60) were the main wicket takers for Burneside. Dan Greenwood (40) and Elwood (58) put the visitors in the driving seat at 123/2, but the bottom club couldn’t sustain the chase as opening bowlers Jack (3/41) and Josh Smethhurst (4/44) returned for their second spells and Shireshead won a tight game by 21 runs.

Warton achieved their first victory of the season as Gareth Finney (38) and Sean Partridge (42 not out) helped them to 157 against Silverdale for whom Phil Mason (3/28) and Sam Letcher (3/35) were in the wickets. Jon Mason (21) and Keith Forster (29) put Silverdale in with a chance of winning the game, but 4/16 by Harry Tugman saw them collapse to 109 all out. On Sunday, Silverdale came close to being the first side to defeat Sedbergh second eleven.

Sean Connor (44 not out) top scored as the visitors made 135 with Josh Dillow taking 4/17 and George Sparks 3/19 for the school team. Bermudan Logan Jones made 41 but with Jack Dougan taking 3/18 it needed last pair, Benjamin Starling (11 not out) and Siddhant Nilesh Gavankar (14 not out) to make the last 25 for victory.

DIVISION 2

In Division 2, leaders Westgate suffered a hiccup at Netherfield losing by seven wickets.

Only Dave Hannigan (49) batted convincingly as the visitors were all out for 92 with Harris Wood taking 3/18 and Vaughan Samson taking 3/11. Joel Bibby (3/35) and Simon Shepherd (3/21) enabled a rejuvenated Holme to bowl out Carnforth seconds for 148. Wayne Tomlinson made 31 for Carnforth and Lee Hodkinson scored 34.

Brendan Herron showed his class with 62 not out as Holme won by seven wickets. Rupert Bunday (47) and Mark Beaumont (40) with the main scorers as title challengers Kirby Lonsdale scored 205/8 against Windermere with Denzil Henderson picking up 4/39 for the basement side. Sam Fletcher (58) made his first 50 of the season and Lewis Rand-Trevor scored 43 not out but spinners James Royce (4/18) and Andrew Metcalfe 3/45 gave Kirkby a 39 run victory.

Adam Murphy (113) scored a brilliant maiden hundred for Shireshead seconds in their 232/3 declared with Paul Yates also contributing 60 not out and sharing a stand of 160 with Murphy.

The 18-year-old batsmen faced 103 balls and hit 24s and 16 in a dominating innings. Julian Cann (69 not out) carried his bat for Sedbergh School thirds who were all out for 145 in the 46th over with Jake Agar taking 4/43.

Mark Hughes (57) and Jake Taylor (66) scored fifties as Ingleton were all out for 211 against Carmel with Stuart Bailey taking 3/41 and Joe Cowperthwaite 3/67. Jordan Ward (3/40) and Luke Gorst (3/33) bowled out Cartmel for 132despite an attacking 60 by Bob Davies.

DIVISION 3

Heysham moved into second place in division three with a 30 run win against Galgate. Arnside seconds are close on their heels after beating Leven Valley by nine wickets as David Hayward (80 not out), Kieron Fallows (36) and Darren Barber (32 not out ) took the attack to Leven Valley as they reached their target of 166 in only the 23rd over.

Earlier Luke Deveney had scored 51, George Needham 37 and Freddie Burrow 31 in the Haverthwaite team’s 165/7, Fallows taking 3/39. Bolton le Sands’ Ben Anderton also made a maiden first class hundred scoring 113 not out including 14 fours and 5 sixes as his side compiled 174/6 again Silverdale seconds. In an exciting game the visitors were only seven runs short when their last wicket fell to Sam Gates (4/30).

There was also an exciting game at home where the second team scored 169/9 against Morecambe with Andrew Suddes top scoring with 46 whilst Mark Armistead 3/28 and Jack Loughton 4/39 kept pressure on the batsmen.

Sean Greaves (46 not out) nearly gave Morecambe victory as they finished just two runs short on 167/7 with Sam Greenwood taking 4/48. Sedgwick seconds made 195/9 as they beat Carnforth thirds by 86 runs.

James Sutcliffe (40) batted well for Shireshead as they made 156/8 against Milnthorpe with Mark Moorby taking 3/33.

Stuart Robertson (54) and Steve Bowman (54 not out) led Milnthorpe to an 8 wicket win. Burneside made 203/5 against Coniston who replied with 131/7 to secure a draw.

Trimpell seconds are the divisional leaders as they scored 200/6 against Ingleton seconds who replied with 195 all out, Trimpell winning by a mere five runs.

Paul Hodgson (32) and last man Paul Fearnyough (30 not out) took Kendal thirds to 138 as Dan Teasdale (3/33) and Phil Sinclair (3/12) kept the pressure on the batsmen. Kirkby Lonsdale couldn’t take advantage despite 35 from Alex Mounsey as Ryan Nightingale (4/19) and Megan Berry 4/27 dismissed them for 121.

Dave Sudell made 41 as Bare scored 156/7 against Morecambe 4ths.

In reply Fazian Ghumman hit 59 but Liam Burrows’s 3/19 helped Bare to a winning draw, Morecambe finishing on 134/9.

Matt Wright (3/9) and Richard Haddath (3/26) bowled Netherfield 4ths out for 63, septuagenarian Mick Notley top scoring with 13 not out.

Ian Wilson’s 32 helped Sedgwick to a 4 wicket victory.

Trimpell and Burneside join Shireshead as confirmed semifinalists in the Hackney and Leigh trophy.

Simon Huck made 50 as Burneside scored 200/7 which despite Adam Richardson scoring 97 not out Arnside fell 7 runs short.

In the British Rose Cricket trophy, Dan Askew made 42 as Coniston beat Windermere by 13 runs with Mike Burton taking 4/16 and Sam Harrison scored 49 for Windermere.

Kirby Lonsdale beat Ingleton by seven wickets and are in pole position in Group 2.

Holders Galgate have reached the semifinals of the Kendal Sports Trophies Cup with David Morgan making 97 in their win against Silverdale seconds.

In the Meyler Cup, Tom Jacques scored 95 and took four wickets and Joe Cunliffe made 59 as Shireshead beat Heysham by 147 runs. Carnforth join them in the quarter finals after beating Barrow by 65 runs with Ryan Nelson top scoring with 74 in their 253/5.

A number of Westmorland League clubs have started women and girls teams. Shireshead Ladies won a softball competition hosted by Carnforth.