A CRUNCH weekend lies ahead for defending champions Milnthorpe as they attempt to stay on terms with Westmorland League Division leaders Westgate.

Second-placed Milnthorpe are 10 points adrift of the table-toppers before their match of the day with third-placed Windermere at Park Road this Saturday.

The two immediate challengers to Westgate suffered contrasting fortunes last Saturday.

Depleted Milnthorpe overcame the absence of brothers Chris and Bob Baldwin, who were attending a fellow brother's wedding, to beat Burneside by five wickets.

All-rounder Mike Wills made his mark bowling, taking six for 19 and finding strong support from stalwart Eddie Kelsall, who accounted for the other four victims. Wicketkeeper Pod Pennington took four good catches and made a stumping as the home side were dismissed for a moderate 103.

When Milnthorpe batted, Wills had to retire hurt after being hit on the elbow by an attempted run-out throw.

Lee Illingworth proved to be their match-winner, taking the spinners to task in hammering an unbeaten 57, including 16 in a single over and a sweetly-hit six that had a 100 yards' carry as victory came up at 107-5.

Windermere's champion-ship ambitions suffered a perilous blow when they slipped from second to third place as Warton restricted them to three points in a losing draw.

An unbeaten 61 from Ricky Nelson senior gave Warton the stability they required to set a testing target of 175-9.

Windermere were unable to get to grips with the task and finished gloomily hanging on for the draw at 141-8, and are 16 points off the pacesetters.

Sedgwick could not do them a favour by halting Westgate's title charge in a 55-run defeat after an inspired bowling change sealed their fate.

Asked to bat, Westgate made a respectable 175-6 thanks to newly-promoted opener Alan Horne and Peter Wilson, who shared a second-wicket stand of 68 and then a steely effort from Rodger Hill (39 not out), who allowed his team-mates to bat around him.

Sedgwick's innings got off to an inauspicious start when Mike Bracken was run out in kamikaze fashion but Simon Dalzell (33) and Adam Hornby (26) lifted the score past 50 before they were divided.

The introduction of young off-spinner A. Hill and a change of ends for Wilson produced the demise of both Simon and Nick Dalzell in quick succession and wickets fell regularly thereafter.

In a professional-like display Wilson finished with 6-34 as Sedgwick were all out for 120.

Ibis suffered a last-ball defeat as Arnside scampered to a two-wicket win.

Batting first, Ibis openers Spencer Samson (21) and Ken Coulston (37) crafted an opening stand of 47 and thanks to Paisley Wood's 27 a total of 111-9 was achieved on a wet difficult wicket.

Accurate bowling by Arnside's Simon Slater (4-7 off 11 overs) ensured that runs were difficult to score.

The Ibis bowlers also found the wicket to their liking and although the first four Arnside batsmen got into their teens Dave Johnston (4-47) and Steve Hugginson (4-38) took wickets at regular intervals.

With two overs remaining, Arnside found themselves on 100-8 and Ibis were looking to capture all 10 points, but No. 6 bat Simon Slater (14no) held his nerve and with the help of a couple of mid-wicket heaves from No. 10 Alan Bargh victory was achieved on the last ball.

The wheels are in danger of coming off towards the end of Shireshead's season. A pallid batting performance handed Bare their second win of the season and gives the Morecambe club, who were eight-wicket victors, an outside chance of avoiding the drop.

Shireshead's Ben Hornby made a fluent 32 as his colleague, struggled around him, leaving them at 45-5 from 30 overs.

Mike Park (32) and Sean Twiname (17) added 27 and late hitting from Park and Ian Ledward (19no) boosted the score by 44 to 119-8 as Bare's Mick Lockwood (4-42) and Phil Sinclair (3-15) shared the bowling honours.

Frank Smith (28) and Stuart McDonald gave Bare the sort of start that their inconsistent batting line up needed. They took the score to 45-1 in the 19th over before the break-through came.

Gareth Westworth hit 27 from 35 balls in a 51-run partnership with McDonald, who soldiered on for an unbeaten 57, finishing the game at 123-2 with a six soon after completing his half-century from 106 balls.

On a bowler-friendly wicket, Second Division leaders Kirkby Lonsdale asked Westgate A to bat and soon had them in trouble, taking out the top three for just eight runs.

Darren Troughton, 3-20 from 14 overs, started the wickets tumbling then veteran spinner Jim Kettlewell took the Westgate innings apart with a superb spell finishing with 5-2 off 10 overs as they were dismissed for 50.

If the home side thought they would win at a canter they were mistaken.

Westgate took a wicket with the first ball of the reply and more victims followed regularly and at 38-7 it looked like they would win.

Kirkby have depth to their batting, however, and it was left to the experienced Derek Williams (16no) to pull the hosts through by three wickets, making Kirkby almost certain of promotion.

A win against Ingleton next week would seal the division title.

n There was surprise when Milnthorpe A skipper Paul Dew opted to bat when winning the toss on a damp, difficult track at Silverdale against Warton A in the final of the Lancaster Trophy Centre Third Division Cup.

Milnthorpe were all out for 80 with extras providing the main contribution and Warton had no trouble getting to 80-3 led by captain Paul Simpson.

Warton's Under-16 Alistair Matthews, a very straight medium-pacer, took four wickets to be man of the match.