By Helen Thompson

Last updated 11:50, Thursday, 04 September 2008

CLEATOR cricket club’s Aussie professional Paul Duffett is finishing off the club’s season with a flourish.

Duffett has racked up more than a thousand runs for his side – for the fourth time since joining.

He put in a match winning innings at Cockermouth on Saturday, with an unbeaten 83 not out, sending him over the four-figure mark in runs for the season, in all competitions.

This is the fourth time that Duffett has achieved this in his six seasons at Cleator.

And the professional, who now lives in West Cumbria, is hoping to return for another year at the JD Campbell Memorial Ground.

His innings at Cockermouth came off 119 balls and included 12 fours and three sixes.

Duffett still holds the record for most runs in a season for the North Lancs and Cumbria League premier division with 1,493 back in 2001, when he also broke the record for the top score in the division, with 201, in his first season with Cleator.

But the latter record was bettered just last year, when Millom pro Narsingh Deonarine shot 209 at Lindal Moor on June 23.

Cleator are now guaranteed runners-up spot in the premier division, behind champions Workington, with one match still to play.

They finish their season this Saturday, with a home match against Duddon SC while champions Workington head to Keswick, Cockermouth travel to Dalton and Carlisle host Whitehaven.

The league is wrapped up for another year with Penrith hosting Millom and Haverigg v Furness completing the premier division fixture list.