DANNY Fallows was the Millom hero as they beat neighbours Haverigg to lift the Sowerby Cup.

Fallows hit an unbeaten 87 and enjoyed a big unbroken stand with professional Sameera Sadamal, who was 64 not out, as the St George’s Road side eased to an eight-wicket victory at Furness Park on Sunday.

Chasing 175 to win in the 45-overs-a-side contest, Millom lost opener Ollie Pachul for a duck, clean bowled by Tomas Hawdon.

When fellow opener Mikey Wilson was caught off the bowling of Simon Bickerstaffe for 16, the Poolsiders had their tails up.

But that was as good as it got for Haverigg, as Fallows and Sadamal steadied the ship and led Millom to their second Sowerby Cup success, and their second in the past four years.

Victory in this competition is especially sweet for Millom, with the trophy named in memory of one of their former players Gareth Sowerby.

The last time they won it Ian Swarbrick was captain, but the skipper was unavailable this time around, as were Michael Gill and Daniel Mackie.

The North Lancs and Cumbria League Division One front-runners showed their strength in depth though, and a good all-round effort with the ball restricted Haverigg to 174 for 8 – perhaps a good few runs short of what they would had hoped for on an excellent Furness track.

Millom struck early on, with Graham Dawson catching Haverigg skipper Drew Postlethwaite off the bowling of Robbie Wilson without scoring.

The experienced Bickerstaffe and Joe Harvey then put on a decent partnership before they were both dismissed.

Talented teenage leg-spinner Billy Thompson claimed the first of his three wickets when he had Bickerstaffe caught by Michael Holmes for 26, and Dawson showed a safe pair of hands again to snaffle Harvey off Wilson for 40.

The pendulum swung towards Millom when Thompson trapped West Indian professional Dalton Polius for 18, and he also accounted for Jordan Postlethwaite, caught by his brother Jack for 23.

Sadamal had Joe Lovell caught by Paul O’Callaghan for 12 and Evans was pouched by Fallows off Dawson for 3.

Thankfully for Haverigg, Glenn Chesher and Dale Graham rallied to boost the total significantly as Chesher made 24 not out and Graham was run out right at the death for a useful 19.

Thompson’s 3 for 29 in nine overs stood out for Millom, with Wilson claiming 2 for 50 and all-rounder Dawson proving very economical with 1 for 21 off nine.

It was a good all-round effort by the Millom attack, and despite an early wobble, they were always in control with the bat as Fallows and Sadamal led them home.