David Blackwell turned in a career-best bowling performance to give Cleator Cricket Club a comfortable win over their neighbours Whitehaven.

Blackwell, who has twice suffered hamstring injuries this season, is back with a bang and Whitehaven had no real answers.

He took 9-22 from 14.4 overs and the only wicket to elude him was that of opener Stephen Holliday who actually scored 36 of Whitehaven’s meagre total of 45.

Earlier, put into bat, Cleator had reached 169-8 in their 50 overs, with Darren Clark top-scoring with 85. Safyaan Sharif took 3-38.

New champions Carlisle switched their batting order at Dalton and nearly came unstuck in their penultimate Cumbria League match this season.

Giving some of their lower-order batsmen a chance, they had slumped to 59-6, but they were pulled around by some familiar faces. County opener Ben Davidson, batting at eight, was still there at the finish with an unbeaten 64 and professional Mike Slack made 41.

Then, Ben Davidson was joined by younger brother Jonathan (29) and they added 69 for the eighth wicket, eventually closing on 194-9.

Dalton were bowled out for 103 in reply, with Jonathan Davidson taking 5-40 and Fraser Conn grabbing 4-27 from 15 overs.

Bottom-of-the-table Egremont lost at Furness but scored one of their best totals of the season before they lost by 83 runs.

In fact, take out Mark Daly’s brilliant 133 not out off 113 balls, and Egremont would have been right in the hunt. Daly hit 10 fours and five sixes as he clubbed his way to a century and more.

Furness finished their 50 overs on 223-6 with Shaun Bostock returning excellent figures of 5-27 from his 13 overs.

Bostock (39) and Mark Ponticelli (26) scored best for Egremont before they were dismissed for 140. Garry Thompson took 5-36.

Wigton were disappointed to be bowled out at home for 81 as they chased a Lindal Moor total of 175-7, as Workington beat Keswick by 91 runs.

Meanwhile, there was some debate over Cockermouth’s match with Millom at Sandair.

It had started late because of a wet outfield and then after 19 overs, with Millom on 88-4, the umpires called a halt, not happy with the way the wicket was playing.