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The League Cup competition took centre stage in the Eden Valley with two teams having back-to-back matches on both Saturday and Sunday.
The two preliminary matches took place on Saturday, but the exertions of winning must have been too much as both Penrith Academy and Stainton II lost the following day.
The former beat an under strength Edenhall, but no doubt enjoyed their day on the big pitch against the big boys on Sunday, with the second team giving them an object lesson on how to bat on a good track.
The Academy saw the opportunity to cause an upset against an under strength Edenhall side, but having been put into bat, a slow start ensued with the loss of a couple of wickets.
Some tight Edenhall bowling meant runs were not easy to come by but the appearance of father and son Chris and Nick Birtle soon upped the run rate, and a score well over 200 was on the cards.
The Edenhall bowling then lacked its early bite, and with both Birtles’ notching half centuries and some quick hitting from the lower order, a target of 241 to win was set.
Nicky made 80 while Chris finished with 57. Stuart Davison was the most successful Edenhall bhowler with 4-40.
Edenhall went for the runs and some of the Academy bowlers suffered as a result. Some good early partnerships kept the total in sight, but wickets fell at opportune times for the Academy side and more importantly, difficult catches were held by the more reliable fielders.
Matthew Wilson batted for an excellent 54 and was well supported by Davison (46) and Jack Dulson (35).
However the fall of Dulson with the score at 190 signalled the end of the Edenhall challenge and the Academy ran out comfortable winners.
The following day the Academy had to travel all of 100 yards for their club derby against the Penrith second team - from Vicarage Field to Tynefield Park!
With both sides missing a number of stalwarts who considered watching England at Durham more important, or were away on county duty, and with the second team having a number of players who had previously played for the Academy this season (the reason for having an Academy side in the first place), there was anticipation in the air.
This lasted as long as it took Jonathan Osborne and Chris Burns to take the shine of the new ball and utilise many areas of the large Tynefield Park outfield.
The partnership was broken by Robbie White who bowled an excellent spell of spin, but this only served to bring in the in-form Steve Nicholson who made it three half centuries for the seconds.
Next in was Darren Richardson making his first appearance of the season, and he duly endangered the school windows and roof taking particular liking to the pies served up by stand-in Academy skipper Mark Cameron.
The innings of 292-2 also included an all run 6 - followed by oxygen for the big hitting Richardson who was 48 not out at the close. Osborne (89), Burns (64) and Nicholson (51no) all contributed to the big score.
Batting second, the Academy were never really in the game chasing a massive total, and, facing a Premiership attack, were instructed to ensure they made their senior club mates bowl the full allocation.
A dogged innings by John White (31) ensured the game went to the second last over whilst some of the youngsters still thought they were playing Twenty20! A cameo by no. 11 Daniel Simmons (24) brought the score to respectability at 148.
In their preliminary round tie at home to Rockcliffe Stainton seconds won by three wickets.
The visitors were bowled-out for 116 with Ian Thompson taking 3-19.
Stainton responded with 118-7, which included an unbeaten 27 from Neil Hall. Dave Foster did his best for Rockcliffe with 3-13.
Like the Penrith Academy, Stainton seconds played their first round tie on Sunday and were beaten by five wickets at home to Wigton seconds.
Stainton made 163-9 in their 40 overs with Alistair Worth top-scoring on 30. Mike Hill claimed 3-19 for Wigton.
In reply Wigton reached their victory target for the loss of five wickets in the 34th over. Craig Stevens (52), Tony Ward (40) and Andrew Taylor (28no) were prominent with the bat.
On a good looking pitch Scotby won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first against Culgaith in their first round tie.
This proved to be a good decision as openers Darren Illidge and Mike Bowen put on 97 for the first wicket in under 16 overs. Illidge was first to go for a hard hitting 58.
Following a brief cameo from Jefferson, Bowen was joined by Mark Vasey and the pair proceeded to put on 87. Then Bowen fell for a well made 71 before some late hitting took Vasey to an unbeaten 83 and Scotby to a formidable looking 266-4.
Culgaith showed that they weren’t going to hang around in their pursuit of the daunting total as Ted Walker smashed the second ball of the innings out of the ground.
Walker and his opening partner Hadley, started well putting on 42 in the first six overs but when both fell in quick succession the visitors were always going to be up against it.
Despite some more good hitting, from Spruce in particular, the loss of regular wickets meant that Culgaith never really threatened the Scotby total falling 114 runs short, bowled-out for 152.
Eric Corrie was the leading wicket-taker for Scotby with 5-31.
Kirkby Stephen did their confidence no harm with a comprehensive win against top flight Staffield.
Chris Scarr (80no), Kerry Hirst (39) and Jim Pike (31) helped Kirkby Stephen reach 224-8 with Nicky Lane (3-32) and Ivor Atkinson (3-38) taking most of the wickets.
Staffield were bowled-out for 122 in reply with James Cranston (42) holding them together longest.
Carlisle II were almost casualties themselves, being given a real fright by Temple Sowerby, just sneaking home by one wicket.
James Farmer (73), Carl Hinckley (61) and David Hinckley (31) all scored well for Temple Sowerby in a 40-over total of 193-5.
There were only two overs left when Carlisle edged through at 194-9 led by Jack Blaylock (77), Martin Burnett (30) and Ian Hutton (28no). Tony Morland (3-26) was the most successful Temple Sowerby bowler.
Braithwaite took a changed side to play Wetheral because of a wedding which left them without five first team regulars.
With only seven players arriving on time it was a surprising decision by Braithwaite to field first but good early bowling from Harry Rigby and Jason Pyke meant that no early damage was done by the Wetheral openers before the stragglers arrived.
By the third over Braithwaite then had the luxury of fielding with eleven.
After an early break through Bamber (18) and Andy Oliver (10) set about building a foundation for the home side before Rigby bounced out Oliver with a brute of a ball.
Wickets then fell at regular intervals as Dan Pyke put a significant dent into the Wetheral middle order taking 3-24 from eight overs.
Aggressive hitting from Dougie Field (17) and Jason Millar (21) offered a lower order rival for Wetheral.
However with the introduction of Lee Zaninetti and a second spell from Rigby the remaining four wickets were mopped up in quick time. The impressive Zaninetti bowled three batsmen and finished with 3-6 from 3.2 overs.
Rigby took 2-21 from eight overs as Wetheral were bowled out in the 34th over for 113.
In reply Mark Oswald (12) inevitably found the boundary with his first scoring shot. However for the second week in succession he played all round a straight one as Graeme Campbell claimed the early breakthrough.
Unfortunately that was about the highlight for the Wetheral bowlers as after a watchful start Ian Dixon began to deal in huge sixes.
The unfortunate recipient was Malcolm Bamber who saw 34 come from three overs as Dixon’s fifty came up in 27 balls, with 37 coming in 12 balls, which included five sixes.
During the mayhem the main concern for the Braithwaite players was making sure they had adequate personnel protecting their vehicles at the far end of the ground.
Phil Knight (38) tried to finish the game in style but mistimed his pull shot to Bryan Garnett, with Lindsay Ferguson hitting the winning boundary in the 19th over.
It was a comprehensive win for the Braithwaite side who now play Nunwick in the next round and it will be the third time the sides meet in less than a month.
Nunwick had got through with a high-scoring win at home to Caldbeck after the visitors had made 219-6. Jamie Brownrigg (82), Simon Bell (45) and Mike Strong (39) were among the runs.
But it wasn’t enough as Nunwick responded with 223-6 and had seven balls to spare. Adam Collin (56), Neil Sands (52), John Forrester (32) and Dougie Parker (30) led the successful pursuit. Andy Clarke took 3-36 for Caldbeck.
A patched up Baggrow second team were totally outclassed at home by a powerful Lowther side.
The visitors were inserted and the home side struck early. Vince Pierce claimed the first wicket in the sixth over, but the second wicket did not arrive until the 35th.
In between Brian Johnson (79) and Andrew Little (109no) combined to add 199 as the wheels fell off; dropped catches, overthrows and 31 wides made their task easier.
Credit must go to Patrick Foster-Devaney who due to absence was thrust into the role of bowler and stuck to the task manfully.
In reply the underdogs were quickly reduced to 11-4 in six overs as Phil Wharton proved too hot. There was a brief recovery as the rate of decline was reduced.
The seventh wicket did not fall until the 22nd over. Vince Pierce rode his luck to make a career best score of 28 before he was last man out as Paul Cullen wrapped things up. Wharton finished with 3-18.
A good all round performance from Wigton thirds saw them clinch a place in the next round. Solid batting performances from senior players Richard Mattinson (49) and Nick Hayton (61no) was backed up well by the young bowling attack, most notably Mike Hill (3-17).
Arthuret and Esk can be pleased that Tony Steele and David Booker continue to impress with the ball and there was also a good batting performance from Martin Harrison (53), playing only his second match for the club.
They were eventually bowled-out for 149 in the 35th over after Wigton had posted 172-8.
On a good batting track home side Nunwick seconds opted to bat against Appleby thirds, with Trevor Wilson (15) and Richard Armstrong (13) giving them a steady start against some accurate bowling.
Both departed in quick succession to Max Winder, who was able to generate some bounce from the wicket.
John Mounsey’s new bat continued to give its owner a blistering run of form, well supported by Ed Swale, who waited so long for his first half century then arrives with his second in the following week.
Mounsey was out for 77 in a Nunwick total of 224-5 while Swale finished unbeaten on 51.
Appleby also started steadily, before the impressive Sinkinson bowled Winder (13) with a peach, and were on track until a middle order collapse.
Including two run outs, Appleby slid from 62-1 to 78-6, until the arrival of Scott Forrester, whose aggressive innings of 51 kept his side in with a chance. However, the runs dried up with the return of Pattinson and Swale and they were all out for 184. Dan Curley made 32 and Sinkinson had 2-23 from seven overs.
Cockermouth seconds were inserted by Penrith thirds at Sandair and felt they had made a good start to the game after losing only two wickets in compiling a decent total.
Jon Gibson’s brief but stylish visit to the crease brought good runs, but again he contrived to find a reason not to go past 50 , retiring hurt on 44 (and then had to stand a round of drinks after the game).
Dean Platten’s clean hitting late on for 41 accelerated the run rate and at tea Cockermouth felt they may have done enough to challenge a strong Penrith 3rd XI. They had finished on 231-4 with Alex Grainger (54no) and Liam Jackson (50) leading the way.
Penrith’s reply was highlighted by strong, straight hitting from Chris Walker mixed in with sufficient edges to keep every fielder interested as the ball went in unexpected directions with great force and over the fielders’ heads on more than one occasion.
Jonathan Osborne played rather more contained shots until he lofted one to point which was taken easily by Tom Morgan from his brother’s bowling, after making it clear to all in earshot that he couldn’t see the ball as it was coming straight out of the sun.
Walker was the second batter to retire with a hamstring injury after he had reached 79, and this brought the match winning partnership together as Nicholson (60no) and Ridley pierced the infield and played to the inevitable gaps on the boundary. They won 232-2 with ten balls to spare.
It is hard to imagine this Penrith 3rd XI side languishing in the lower reaches of the second division for much longer.
Cockermouth thirds, however, got through in the competition when they beat Penrith Wanderers by 56 runs.
The big Cockermouth innings of 229-2 was based on a big, unbroken third wicket stand between Richard Owen (110no) and Joe Broomfield (90no).
In reply the Wanderers had reached 173-7 at the close with the best contributions from David Bentley (66) and Nigel Fowles (42).
Lanercost seconds were beaten at home by Shap, losing by nine wickets as the visitors made short work of their task.
The home side was bowled out for 107 with Manish Saxena (38) the only batsman to compile any sort of innings.
It took Shap just 19.2 overs to reach their target for the loss of Lee Stockdale who made 64.
Carleton went through at the expense of Lanercost thirds after David Pearson (55), Martin Cowley (43), Ian Henderson (35no) and Peter Henderson (31) had played key roles in a 40-over total of 216-8.
Will Freebairn took 3-18 as Lanercost thirds were hustled-out for 103 in 38 overs.
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