A TREMENDOUS unbeaten century from Ben Lenton helped Arnside move clear at the top of Division 1 after a high scoring draw against Burneside.
Lenton, with Alex Davidson in support, helped Arnside to a towering 301/7 when they declared after only 38 overs, and victory looked certain when Stephen Cooper was joined by last man Giles Holden with Burneside’s reply on 142/9.
But incredibly the pair survived to earn their side a draw, Cooper finishing on a magnificent 145 not out, the highest individual score of the season.
And with a run aggregate of 543, the Westmorland League Division 1 record for most runs in a game was broken, testament to the skilled groundmanship of Ken Shepherd.
Dylan Conroy continued his good form for Westgate at home to Shireshead with a hard hitting 62, but Irfan Qayyum 5/50 and Tom Jacques (4/21) bowled out the home side for 116 before visiting captain Dave Jack’s 69 not out saw his side home as the hosts dropped to third.
Carnforth moved second, beating Silverdale by 78 runs despite being bowled out for 129 with only Bradley Hoyle (47) being able to manage Jonny Mason (7/56), but it was enough as Tom Parkinson (7/32) shot out Silverdale for just 51.
Heysham made 222/9 at home to Warton, with Sam Calverley making 83 and Geoff Carter 44, but it was not enough as a brilliant century from visiting skipper Tom Barnfield swept his side to victory.
James Parkinson (4/57) and Darren Wills (3/48) put Milnthorpe on top against Trimpell before 42 from Chris Baldwin saw them to a 5 wicket win.
Sedgwick made 181 against Holme with Aaron Lomas hitting a fifty and Lee Barnes taking 5 wickets, before Sedgwick skipper Jonny Matthews’ five wicket haul, which included a hat trick, saw Holme all out for just 71.
In Division 2, Kirkby Lonsdale beat Netherfield 3rd XI by 2 wickets thanks to Mark Beaumont who made 46 not out.
Shireshead 2nd XI posted 203/4 against Westgate 2nd XI with fifties from Colin Twiname (79) (pictured left, courtesy of Mike Dent), and Steven Foy (55), before Paul Yates (4/38) ensured a 62 run win.
In Division 3, Arnside 2nd XI beat Carnforth 3rd XI by 6 wickets on Saturday and following it up on Sunday by knocking off 160 to beat Bolton-le-Sands by 7 wickets.
Carnforth bounced back to beat Sedgwick 2nd XI on Sunday by 4 wickets with Michael Baxendale following his 4/5 with 61 not out.
Leaders Galgate beat Holme 2nd XI by 200 runs on Saturday with Matthew Cooper scoring 101 and Rob Speak taking 5/13.
But on Sunday, things went wrong after Tom Speak (50) and Danny Brighouse (54) put on 105 for the first wicket, and they were all out for 184 with Graham Kellett (4/41) and Luke Gorst, whose 5/30 included a hat trick, doing the damage. Kellett then mounted an astonishing attack on the bowling, making 114 not out from 69 balls as the target was reached within 19 overs.
On Saturday, Ingleton scraped a winning draw against Morecambe 3rd XI, but roared back on Sunday with a nine wicket win over Galgate.
Leven Valley beat Bolton-le-Sands by 3 wickets on Saturday but lost by 9 wickets on Sunday to Windermere with Dan Sykes making 66 not out and Sam Fletcher 53. Holme 2nd XI beat Silverdale 2nd XI by 3 wickets with Kevin Stephenson scoring 50.
The Division 4 match of the week was at Shap Road where Shireshead 3rd XI compiled 218/5 largely thanks to Oliver Wilkinson (63), before fellow teenagers, Freddie Price and Will Yarker (pictured right) added 190 to put Kendal 3rd XI in pole position.
Shireshead’s young bowlers Elliott Dean (2/42) and Aashray Gangalam (2/43) brought them back into the game and three were needed from the final ball, but when two runs were scrambled, it meant the game ended in a tie.
Fifties from Sandy Turner (71) and Jordan Field (67 not out) helped Sedbergh School beat Bare 2nd XI by 130 runs while Ambleside stay top after an 83 run win against Kirkby Lonsdale 2nd XI.
Also in Division 4, Sam Freear’s 66 meant Trimpell 2nd XI were able to achieve a losing draw against Milnthorpe 2nd XI.
In the Hackney and Leigh Division t20, Arnside, Carnforth, Shireshead and Westgate are through to semi-finals day which will be held at Arnside on July 21.
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