A BRILLIANT partnership between Scott Pearcey and Sachith Pathirana helped Furness to recover from a difficult start before thrashing Lindal Moor by 115 runs in the Premier Division of the Cumbria Cricket League.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Furness were reduced to 73-4 and were still in some trouble when Ryan Gilmour removed Lewis Gribbin for 39 to leave the hosts 120-5.

But Pathirana then smashed 67 off 51 balls as part of a sixth-wicket partnership worth 115 with Pearcey, who finished unbeaten on 79 as Furness posted an imposing 276-6 from their 50 overs.

Lindal made a steady start in reply, with Gilmour making 36, but once he perished, wickets began to tumble and the visitors were bowled out for 161, with Jordan Buchanan taking 4-59 and Garry Thompson 3-17.

Millom are up to sixth after 78 from Graham Dawson helped them to an impressive 86-run victory over Keswick.

Sameera Sadamal had earlier set a solid platform with 64, from opener, as Millom eventually posted a very decent 257-6 that Keswick never came close to chasing down.

They did have one partnership of note between Geeth Kumara (65) and Glen Weightman (48), but their lower order collapsed as they were all out for 161. Braith Conner was the pick of the Millom bowlers with 4-16, while Robbie Wilson took 3-36.

Dalton returned to winning ways, but only just, as they defeated bottom club Egremont by two wickets.

Egremont were bowled out for just 139, including 38 not out from No.9 Coady Scott, as Lasith Lakshan ran riot with the ball for the hosts in taking a magnificent 7-42.

Despite 32 from Liam Steele and 34 from wicketkeeper Liam Curwen, Dalton wobbled in reply, as Scott claimed 5-65, but they eventually got over the finish line in the 34th over.

Furness’ lead at the top is now 12 points after second-placed Carlisle were defeated by 39 runs at home to Cockermouth, with Ben Davidson’s 85 in vain as they were bowled out for 194 in reply to the visitors’ 233-6.

Elsewhere, 49 from captain Nico Watt helped second-from-bottom Wigton pull even further clear of Egremont with a five-wicket victory at Whitehaven, while Supeshala Jayathilake struck an unbeaten 100 as Cleator comfortably defeated Workington by 89 runs, with David Blackwell taking 4-28.