TALKING-point in the Cumberland View-Volkswagen Westmorland League this week was the decision by Phil Bovis, who topped the league averages last year, toleave Silverdale and join in-form Warton.

The former Kent Seconds batsman made his debut for the current league leaders against third-placed Westgate, who responded by ending the visitors' four-match winning start with a comprehensive seven-wicket win.

There was debate over the Westgate skipper's decision to insert Warton in ideal batting conditions, but the move was vindicated when they slumped from 26 without loss to 36-5, including the prized wicket of Bovis, who went for a duck.

Although Ricky Nelson (17) offered some resistance, Warton were all out for a deflated 67.

Bowling honours were shared between P. Wilson (6-37) and I. Higson (3-24) supported in the field by six catches taken by different fielders.

Warton did their best to be competitive and had Westgate at 16-2 but Wilson remained steadfast for an unbeaten 42 to bring up a 10-point victory on 69-3, which puts the sides level at the top.

Sedgwick enjoyed a great day batting on Saturday with Mike Bracken hitting 100 and Simon Dalzell 90 as this pair put on 203 for the first wicket against Heysham, who must have regretted putting them in to bat.

Sedgwick declared their innings on 244-3 after 40 overs.

Heysham got off to a brisk start in reply with 30 off four overs and although D. Parker (60) held the show together, his dismissal by George Willacy signalled the end for the visitors, whose last five wickets fell for seven runs as they were all out for 172.

Willacy finished with 6-45, while Jason Dalzell shared the spoils with his 4-63.

Bracken and Dalzell were in fine form the next day, with knocks of 69 and 61 respectively in a 137 opening stand, on the way to a 98-run victory over Bare in the league cup.

A Paul Wilson hat-trick featured in Burneside's 88-run victory over Ibis, who consoled themselves with a cup win next day over Arnside.

There was an early breakthrough for Ibis in Burneside's innings thanks to a smart pieice of fielding by Ken Coulston, but wickets were hard to take afterwards and a patient 74 from Rob Davis enabled them to post a target of 155-9 after Steve Hugginson mopped up the tail for 4-38.

Ibis looked to be in with a shout on 56-2 with Dave Irvine on 20, but the introduction of Mike Curran (4-19) and Wilson (4-0) changed that as Ibis capitulated at 67 all out, the last four wickets falling in consecutive balls as Wilson wove his magic.

Ibis scored freely against Arnside in the league match to reach 174-6 thanks to John Coulston (60no), Mike Robinson (37) and Ken Coulston (28). Arnside's Rob Shepherd took 3-16.

Arnside lost two early wickets but C. Howsley (42) and A. Lee (54) brought the 100 up and the rot then set in as they were all out for 133, Andy Earl and Ken Coulston both taking three victims apiece.

Windermere were invited to bat on a flat Arnside wicket and the top-order all contributed runs, but no one enjoyed themselves as much as Jonathan Cooper who, coming in at No. 7 with the score on 121, smashed a fine 82 not out from the final 13 overs to enable the visitors to close on 236-7.

Arnside's reply stuttered when they lost skipper Lee Cooper in the first over and there was no great enthusiasm for the run chase thereafter although Brockbank batted well for his 47.

Nick Lewthwaite, Windermere's skipper for the day, rotated his bowlers in search of a breakthrough but it would not come and Arnside held out for a draw on 143-7, with Lewthwaite himself the most successful bowler with 3-27 from 15 overs.

The postponed Warton v Windermere cup match takes place at Warton this Sunday.

Pace bowler Bob Baldwin showed his worth for Milnthorpe with an eye-catching 7-58 in a keenly contested draw with Shireshead and Forton.

The champions took first use and made 189 with a solid start thanks to Mike Wills (32) and Brian Smith (21), who showed great sportsmanship to walk to a muted appeal. Nathan Burr (31) helped things along but Milnthorpe slipped to 125-7 before Lee Illngworth (46) rallied them with three sixes and three fours in a 52-ball knock.

Support at the end came from Chris Postlethwaite (17) as 30 came in 12 balls. Mike Park (3-17) dismissed them both in the last over and David Carter (3-47) played his part.

Colin Twiname dominated Shireshead's reply with a top-scoring unbeaten 74, putting them in the box seat needing 63 off 10 overs with eight wickets in hand.

But Baldwin's return to the attack changed all that. He had taken 2-33 but took 5-25 in his second spell as wickets tumbled and Tim Mansfield joined Twiname as the last hope of avoiding defeat. They survived on 180-9.

Bare ended up on the wrong end of a low-scoring game against Silverdale when they should have won easily.

Silverdale were restricted to 95-8 with danger-man Phil Low a key scalp when brilliant taken at point by Sharman for 34 off Lockwood (5-37) the pick of the Bare bowling.

Bare's innings started disastrously when both openers were sent packing with the score on 12. It got worse as John Mason took a hat-trick to leave them in disarray at 17-6 and they never recovered, dismissed for 77 with Raynor taking 5-23 and Mason 4-28.

Cartmel's R. Simpson hit 113 in Division 2 in the pick of the performances down the divisions.