It was three months overdue, but in truth there isn’t a cricket club in the area that isn’t delighted, or very relieved, that matches are finally being played out on their fields again.

The coronavirus pandemic has curtailed the Cumbria Cricket League season to the point were the divisions were split to keep travel to a minimum and clubs were given a choice of playing T20 or 40-over matches.

Last weekend brought the first day of the season for this severely delayed competition and it brought several skirmishes between local rivals, and the these days unusual sight of Barrow facing off against such rivals.

The first XI of the Ernest Pass club have moved across from the Northern Premier League for the next couple of months, but their new-look side got off to an inauspicious start in the Premier Division South, as they were beaten at home by 89 runs by Lindal Moor.

The visitors won the toss and chose to bat, and this turned out to be a good decision, as they posted 172-8 from their 40 overs, with 53 from opener Ryan Gilmour laying the foundation.

Gilmour shared a fourth-wicket stand worth 76 runs with Callum McDougall, who accelerated his team towards a good total by smashing 56 off just 48 balls.

In reply, Barrow collapsed to 83 all out, with only their captain Glen Kermode (32) providing any resistance, as Lee Hogg returned figures of 3-16.

Furness will surely be the team to beat in the division and they served noticed of their intent by breezing to an eight-wicket victory at home to Dalton.

Sam Stephens took a brilliant 5-11 for the hosts, as Dalton collapsed from 79-2 to post just 111-9 from their 40 overs, Rob Jones top-scoring with 39.

Furness needed just 24 overs to wrap up victory as Scott Pearcey struck an unbeaten 53 off 63 balls, as part of a 94-run partnership for the second wicket with Wyll Stanway.

There’s not much distance between Haverigg and Millom and there was very little to separate them on the field as Millom won by just five runs.

Graham Dawson’s breezy 41 off 39 deliveries helped the visitors reach 164-6 at Poolside and despite a brilliant 87 not out from Dale Graham, Haverigg fell just short of their target on 159-4.

In Division One, there was a brilliant finish at the Community Centre, where Kirkby saw off Hawcoat Park by a single wicket.

Tom Stanwix struck 30 while batting from nine to help the away side to 114 all out, with Paul Fugler seemingly easing Kirkby to victory before they collapsed from 107-3 to 114-9, leaving the match on the brink of being tied.

However, a six from Alistair Bradley in the penultimate over finally got the hosts over the line.

Elsewhere, Ulverston and Furness 2nd XI traded one T20 victory each, while Lindal Moor 2nd XI thrashed Vickerstown by nine wickets after skittling them out for a paltry 31, with Chris Moore taking 4-10.