NORTH Lancs And Cumbria League’s cricketers have been crowned the champion team of the north west.

The side – managed by former Barrow and Lindal Moor batsman Mike Hughes – beat the Greater Manchester League by 11 runs in a tense final at Prestwich CC to win the Inter-League title.

After losing the toss and being put in to bat, North Lancs lost openers Scott Pearcey and Ben Davidson cheaply, but an excellent stand of 70 between Furness batsman Nathan Waterston and Wigton stumper Angus Harman put them right back in the game.

Waterston top-scored with 37 off 75 balls, hitting four fours and a six, and Harman played the supporting role with 35 in 94 balls, including four boundaries.

Wickets then fell at regular intervals, but Furness master-blaster Garry Thompson hit two big sixes in his his 13-ball cameo of 17 and Workington’s Andrew Ireland also smashed two sixes as he scored 13 from 10 balls to get the total up to 160 all out in 44.2 overs.

Tight bowling by the North Lancs League prevented Greater Manchester from getting up a head of steam in their reply, and only some late resistance from Ryan Senior (39 off 51 balls) allowed them to get anywhere near the victory target before the last wicket fell with the total on 149.

The wickets were shared around, with Carlisle’s Alex Calmy taking 3 for 33 in 7.3 overs, Cleator all-rounder Darren Clark 3 for 41 in nine overs and Ireland completing a good day with 2 for 34 in nine. Although wicketless, Lindal’s Ed Waind bowled six overs of spin for just nine runs and the fielding was excellent, with just one catch dropped.

The triumph marked the first time the league’s senior team have won the regional competition outright since 2010, although they did share the prize two years ago with the Liverpool and District Competition after the final was washed out.