THERE was semi-final heartbreak for Furness Cricket Club as they lost to Cockermouth.

Furness were defeated on the Duckworth Lewis method in the Higson Cup clash at Sandair.

That result means Cumbria Cricket League title rivals Carlisle and Cockermouth are set to meet in the final of the competition.

Carlisle won at Fitz Park against Keswick in the other semi-final, also on the Duckworth Lewis method.

Electing to bat first Cockermouth made 205-9 in one short of their allotted 45 overs.

Professional Shrikant Mundhe (59) led the way and had plenty of solid support in the Cockermouth line-up with skipper Matty Sempill (39), Tom Norman (31) and Gareth White (28) getting decent starts.

Furness pro Matthew Kleinveldt was the most successful Furness bowler with 3-54 and Samson Storey took 2-43.

Rain spoiled the Furness reply but the two teams were prepared to play on until it got too heavy, and they were forced to come off.

Furness had reached 137-6 in 32.1 overs and after calculations by the umpires Albert D’Leny and Yogen Jagatsinh they calculated a revised target of 154 at that stage of the reply.

Thomas Smith (31) and Mark Daly (22no) were the main batsmen for Furness, while Ethan Hardie-Knight (2-22) was the best of the Cockermouth bowlers.

Carlisle won at Keswick by seven wickets, and were well in charge although it was officially decided by the Duckworth Lewis method.

Keswick were bowled-out for 190 in 42.4 overs and when play ended after 25.2 overs Carlisle were almost there on 182-3.  The revised target for 41 overs had been set at 179 by umpires Colin Westgarth and Steve Lewer.

Oliver Spedding (59) and Zephania Arinaitwe (51) put on 94 for the first wicket, and although Marc Brown (2) went cheaply Furness were steered home by sub pro Thimira Malshan (46no) and Ben Davidson (20no).

Earlier Keswick pro Risith Upamal (41), wicket keeper Arran Davies (31), Glen Weightman (25) and Paul Hindmarch (23) had made starts but could quite build on them enough.

Carlisle certainly seem to be getting value from their sub pros following the unfortunate injury to Michael Slack. Malshan led the way with 4-31 while Arinaitwe took 3-35.

The final between Carlisle and Cockermouth – the top two in the Premier Division – will be played on Sunday, August 18 at a venue to be decided.

The two sides meet again eight days later on Bank Holiday Monday in a crucial League game at Edenside.