A superb century by Jake Egan propelled CIYMS to a ridiculously comfortable victory over Templepatrick. Despite needing 225 for victory, Egan’s 132 off just 80 balls (15 fours and six sixes) helped the home side to their target by the start of the 29th over. From 59 for two, Egan shared a third wicket stand of 144 in 18 overs with Herman Rolfes who finished 52 not out. Captain Ross Bryans top scored for Templepatrick with 89 and received good support from Charles Swart who made 61 in a fourth wicket stand of 116. But the visitors lost their last six wickets for 17 runs to be bowled out in 46 overs.

Civil Service North must rely on North Down being badly beaten by Woodvale on Sunday if they are to claim a top six place ahead of the split. Defeat by 101 runs at home to Muckamore leaves them in seventh, behind the Comber side on run-rate. South African professional Neil Brand was back on duty for the Moylena side and, opening the batting, he hit 131, with 12 fours and five sixes, in his side’s 279 for six. CSN, bowled out for 79 last week, managed to more than double that total but Ryan Hunter’s 21 was their top score and 30 for the last wicket between Andrew Cowden and Tom Ford was their highest partnership. Ireland batting coach Gary Wilson batted at No 9 and was caught off Brand for 10.

INSTONIANS and Waringstown share the lead in the NCU Premiership, with the two sides following up their cup semi-final victories with crucial wins in the title race over Lisburn and Cliftonville Academy respectively. The Shaw’s Bridge side again opted to bowl first in their clash with third-placed Lisburn, and once again their bowlers responded to the challenge by restricting them to 186 in an innings that never really got going. Ross Adair (20) and Nigel Jones (26) got starts, but only when Ben Calitz was in full flow did Lisburn get a foothold in the contest. The Irish passport holding South African hit three sixes and fours in a 42-ball 47, adding 83 for the fourth wicket with skipper Neil Whitworth (36). However, Cian Robertson spun his left-arm magic, claiming four wickets for just 23 to put the home side firmly in control. Shane Dadswell (three for 30) and two wickets for Ben Rose reaffirmed the advantage and a final total of 186 looked to be well short of challenging. Cade Carmichael had missed out in Saturday’s cup win, but the Irish international cashed in with a quite brilliant 77-ball 117 that included 15 fours and four maximums to break the back of the chase. His century means that he is the leading run scorer in the league with 473 runs, just ahead of Jason van der Merwe. Carmichael added 112 with Rob McKinley (24) and that allowed ‘Inst’ to coast to a six-wicket win in the 28th over – Dadswell bringing the game to a hasty conclusion by thumping three fours and a six in the final four balls. For Lisburn, a season that promised so much is in danger of falling apart, with their main hope for silverware now resting on the Irish Senior Cup, where they travel to play Balbriggan in the last four next weekend.

Woodvale and North Down shared a dramatic tie in a see-saw game at Ballygomartin Road – a result that saw both happy in the end to get something from the match. Stevie Saul just missed out on a century, getting two from the final ball of the North Down innings to end on 99 (seven fours, four sixes) adding 127 for the fourth wicket with Mickey Copeland as they made 193 for five in 35 overs. Woodvale looked beaten as they slumped to 78 for six, but Carl Robinson’s 51-ball 64 got them right back into contention as he added 104 in 17 overs for the seventh wicket with Zarar Khan (49 not out). 17 were still needed from the last two overs when Anek Anil joined Khan but they chipped away, survived a dropped catch, and the equation came down to three from the final ball. Anil managed to scramble two, ensuring a share of the spoils. North Down finished in the top six for the split, while Woodvale’s two points meant they moved off the bottom above Templepatrick.

Waringstown kept pace with Instonians thanks to an emphatic seven-wicket win at Cliftonville Academy in a match reduced to 25 overs. Abhishek Rauthit a 32-ball unbeaten 56 as the home side posted what looked a competitive 174 for five – Varun Chopra making a run-a-ball 36 (five fours), and Hayden Melly 27.The Topping brothers though made light work of the chase, as they shared an opening stand of 125 in just 80 balls. Morgan hit eight fours and six sixes in a 56-ball 87, while younger brother Sam’s 36-ball 53 included five fours and three maximums. John Glass claimed two wickets but the seven-wicket win was sealed in the 19th over.

Woodvale remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table, on run rate, after a 152 runs hammering by Cliftonville Academy at the Castle Grounds. The home side piled up 247 for five in their 35 overs, after a delayed start, with Varun Chopra and John Glass, who each hit three sixes, putting on 117 for the third wicket. Abhi Raut and captain Matty McCord then added 51 from the last 26 balls. Woodvale lost Ruhan Pretorius and Ludwig Kaestner in the first eight overs and their last six wickets for 23 runs, with McCord taking three for 14 from five overs.

CIYMS confirmed their place in the top six ahead of the split with an eight wicket trouncing of an under-strength Civil Service North. After asking their visitors to bowl first on a green Belmont pitch, Hermann Rolfes, Mark Best and Ben Snell each took three wickets as CSN, without top runs scorer Mark Ellison, were bowled out for 79 inside 26 overs. The game was over before tea as CI romped to victory in the 12th over with Chris Dougherty batting through for 25 not out.

Instonians continued their winning ways at the top of the Premier League with an eight wickets win over Templepatrick. The home side chose to bat first but only Charlie Swart put up any resistance, facing 102 balls for his 59 as they were dismissed for 129. Ben Rose wrapped up the tail, including the wicket of Swart, to finish as the most successful bowler with three for 20. Instonians needed only 25 overs to reach thgeir target with 61 off 73 balls from Rob McKinley and an unbeaten 47 from Sully Gould.

Jason van der Merwe produced a man of the match performance to condemn early pacesetters Lisburn to a second successive Premier League defeat. First, he hit 135 from 95 balls (12 fours, nine sixes) in a club record stand of 213 for the third wicket with Sathish Suresh, who hit seven fours and five sixes in his 95. Van der Merwe then took the big wickets of Lisburn captain Neil Whitworth and professional Faiz Fazal in the space of four balls to halt the visitors’ charge. Teenager Luca Bates then finished them off and claimed the match ball by taking the last four wickets to give Muckamore a 67 runs victory and a place in the top six post-split.

Half-centuries from Ireland internationals Graham Hume, James McCollum and Greg Thompson paved the way for Waringstown to post 333 for eight against North Down. Hume’s 76 came off 61 balls with nine fours and captain Thompson had seven fours and a six in his 51 from 34. North Down never threatened to overall the total but Stevie Saul and fit-again captain Tyron Koen responded with 50s of their own but they fell 103 runs short and may need to beat Woodvale next week to book their top six place post-split.

Waringstown, fielding their first choice XI for the first time this season, made it a three-way tie at the top in the Premier League by inflicting Lisburn’s first defeat of the season. Waringstown finished just seven runs short of 300, yet were bowled out in the 46th over. Tom Mayes, not for the first time this season, top scored with 66 while Matthew Halliday hit an impressive 50 before being dismissed next ball. Josh Manley and Adam Kennedy, at twice the expense, each took three wickets. Lisburn never threatened the total although a last wicket stand of 48 between Kennedy (30 not out) and Callum Atkinson (24) reduced the margin of defeat to 45 runs. Waringstown captain Greg Thompson finished with three wickets including the big one of Faiz Fazal for 58.

Instonians top the Premier League table on run-rate after crushing CIYMS by 150 runs at Shaw’s Bridge. Ireland international Cade Carmichael scored 134, with 14 fours and two sixes, and shared stands of 121 with Rob McKinley (44) and 134 with captain Nikolai Smith (87) as Instonians finished on 315 for seven. Shane Dadswell took two early wickets to put the visitors immediately on the back foot at 49 for five. A partnership of 35 for the last wicket between Beau Dennison and Ben Snell only delayed the inevitable.

Cliftonville Academy won their first league match of the season with an impressive 141 runs success at Stormont. Francis Collins led the way with 104 and 50s from Abhishek Raut and Jared Wilson, not out, took them to 301 for six. Civil Service North reached 133 for three in reply but Sean Davey and Adam Leckey, top scorer with 58, were dismissed within five balls of each other and nine overs later they were all for 160. Varun Chopra ended up as the winners’ most successful bowler with three for 13.

Muckamore hit the highest total of the day, 325 for four, with Mark Gleghorne finishing 127 not out, including 13 fours and 5 sixes. He added 119 with Neil Brand (65) for the second wicket, 84 for the fourth wicket with Sam Gordon and 76 unbeaten for the fifth with Luke Allen (43 not out). Curtis Moorhead was the destroyer in chief for the visitors as Woodvale collapsed from 111 for three to 144 for eight, taking four of the wickets for 16 runs. He claimed the match-ball by having Ashwin Shetty stumped for 38 after a stand of 57 for the ninth wicket with James Martin.

North Down would have disappointed to finish on 267 for seven after Alistair Shields (104) and Mo Aahil (71) had put on 194 for the first wicket. But Michael Stewart dismissed both batters in the space of three balls and Templepatrick conceded just 73 runs in the last 12 overs. Although the visitors reached 118 for two in the reply, a horrible collapse – they lost their last eight wickets for 26 runs - handed North Down a comfortable 123 runs victory. Mickey Copeland and Shields each took three wickets.

CIYMS claimed their fourth win of the season with a six wickets victory over Woodvale at Belmont. The visitors made 159 for five in their 35 overs with 50s for Ludwig Kaestner and Finn Restieaux but CI got home with 11 balls to spare. Jake Egan was run out by Ruhan Pretorius for 62, with his side just 10 runs short of victory. Pretorius bowled his seven overs for just 13 runs but could take only one wicket.

Templepatrick won their first Premier League match to leave Cliftonville Academy, bottom of the table. Robert Smith with 65 and an unbeaten 33 from Charles Swart eased the Ballyclare-based side to an eight wickets victory with more than 11 overs to spare. They had bowled out their visitors for 130 with Ewan Wilson taking three wickets for 17 runs and Michael Stewart finishing with figures of two for 10 from six overs. Jared Wilson was on 45 when he ran out of partners with Cliftonville Academy failing to use two of their 38 overs.

Instonians charged to a 10 wickets win, needing only 12.4 overs to beat Muckamore at Moylena. After bowling out the home side for 87, Cade Carmichael hit 62 off 40 balls and skipper Nikolai Smith 21 to give everyone an early finish. All six bowlers shared the wickets for Instonians with Jason van der Merwe, top scorer with 19, the only Muckamore batter to face more than 30 balls.

Marc Ellison and Adam Dennison matched each other run for run at The Lawn but it was Dennison who scored the quicker and had the better support as Waringstown continued their winning form with a seven wickets (DLS) win over Civil Service North. Ellison (83) and James West (50) put on 109 for the first wicket for the visitors but it took 24 overs and although they added 70 in the remaining nine overs, with Sean Davey hitting 28 off 23 balls, Waringstown made light of their target of 189 in 30 overs. Dennison’s 83 came off 70 balls with eight fours and three sixes and Morgan Topping and Graham Hume, with an unbroken stand of 55 from 36 balls, hurried the Villagers to victory with almost four overs to spare.

League leaders Lisburn made it six wins out of six with Adam Berry starring in an emphatic eight wickets win over North Down. Berry, fittingly, hit the winning run to finish 87 not out, from 79 balls (nine fours, three sixes), sharing an unbroken partnership of 105 with skipper Neil Whitworth who added another 36 to his run of unbeaten scores. Earlier, it was a partnership of 76 between Peter Davison and Jaxon Dines that had rescued the visitors from 64 for seven to set Lisburn a target of 147. Ryan Macbeth took four wickets and Mark Adair had figures of 1-13 from five overs in his first match of the season, ahead of next week’s T20 internationals against West Indies.

Templepatrick are still searching for their first win of the season after they crashed to a 70-run loss at CSNI. Marc Ellison hit six fours and two sixes in a top-score of 58 from 52 balls as the Stormont side made 156 for five, with 26 apiece for Sean Davey and Adam Leckey. Charlie Swart top-scored with 41 (five fours, one six), but received little support as they were bowled out for 86. Teenagers Harry Dyer (4-7), Finn Lutton (3-17), and Seb Yeates (2-5) doing the damage.

Muckamore’s replacement professional Madhav Kaushik hit the ground running with a match-winning half century at North Down to give the Moylena side their first points of the campaign. The Indian cleared the ropes four times and hit four fours in a 25-ball 54 to help Muckamore to 151 for seven – runs too for Jamie Magowan (25) and Jason van der Merwe (20) – while Ally Shields claimed four wickets. In a tense chase, Ryan Haire’s 31 gave the Comber side a shout, but his dismissal with 22 needed off two overs proved decisive as Muckamore won by 17 runs.

Waringstown are up to second place after an eight-wicket demolition of Instonians at Shaw's Bridge. Graham Hume's (3-11) return increases their firepower considerably and he removed the top three in no time. Shane Dadswell hit three sixes in a counterattacking 35, but two wickets apiece for Daniel van der Merwe, Greg Thompson and James Cameron-Dow saw them bundled out for a paltry 81. That was never going to be enough as Sam Topping (41) shared an opening stand of 59 with elder brother Morgan (19) on their way to victory in just the 13th over.

Only 32 overs were possible in the big game at Shaw’s Bridge but Shane Dadswell provided enough entertainment for the whole day, hitting a superb 105 not out from 59 balls with six fours and eight sixes in Instonians’ 248 for three. Skipper Nikolai Smith shared a third wicket a stand of 101 before was lbw for 56 from 55 balls against a Waringstown attack missing Tom Mayes, Graham Hume, James Mitchell and Ross Allen.

Cliftonville Academy were relieved the rain abandoned their game at The Castle Grounds as they wait for their first league of the season. CIYMS has reduced them to 112 for seven with Mark Best and Alex Armstrong taking two wickets each.

There was disappointment for Templepatrick when rain forced their game at Stormont to be abandoned after they had set themselves up for their first win. They needed just 23.5 overs to bowl out Civil Service North for 93 with Charles Swart and Michael Stewart each taking three wickets.

The first Premier League game to be called off was at Ballygomartin Road. Woodvale welcomed back professional Ludwig Keastner for his first game of his second spell at the club. He made 26 and Finn Restieaux was 23 not out when the rain arrived with the home side on 104 for 4 after 28.4 overs.

Forty overs were possible at The Green, more than any other Premier League game, but it wasn’t quite enough for Jason van der Merwe to reach a century. He was stranded on 97 not out when the rain arrived. He faced 87 balls and hit 13 fours and a six in Muckamore’s 213 for five.

Waringstown moved within one win of table toppers Lisburn and Instonians with a seven wickets victory over Woodvale in their postponed opening day game at Ballygomartin Road. Tom Mayes claimed the huge wicket of Ruhan Pretorius with the last ball of the first over and despite 44 from captain Harry Warke, Woodvale were all out for only 125 in their 20 overs. Sam Topping was also out to the sixth ball of the Waringstown innings but a second wicket stand of 118 between Morgan Topping (60 not out) and James McCollum (57) made light of the chase and Topping won the match with a six in the 14th over.

Lisburn made it four wins out of four to stay top of the table (with Instonians) after a comfortable 119 runs success at the Castle Grounds. Faiz Fazal (67) and Neil Whitworth (56) were top scorers in their innings of 275 which Cliftonville Academy never threatened. Francis Collins made a patient 57 but Ross Adair had him caught in his first over and he had four wickets for five runs from 3.2 overs when they were bowled out for 156. Ryan Macbeth also took four wickets (for 41).

Marc Ellison continued his fine start to the season with a century in Civil Service North’s 112 runs victory over North Down. Ellison hit 107 in his side’s 240 – Mickey Copeland, Tyron Koen and Mo Aahil took three wickets each – but Koen’s 30 not out was the visitors’ only significant resistance as Harry Dyer finished with 3-27.

The gulf between the Premier League champions and last year's Section One winners was there for all to see as Waringstown eased to a nine wickets victory at The Cloughan. Adam Dennison scored 113 not out from 92 balls as Waringstown reached their target in 25.2 overs. Captain Greg Thompson took five wickets as Templepatrick were bowled out for 172 with Patrick Tice top scoring with 52.

Instonians broke the record for the highest ever score in the Premier League* despite being bowled out in the last over. They made 458 with professional Shane Dadswell hitting an astonishing 182 from just 74 balls (11 fours, 18 sixes) to leave another whirlwind knock from Neil Rock (80 off 39) in the shade. Cade Carmichael’s 73 was his third consecutive half-century against Woodvale at Shaw’s Bridge. George Craigan also hit 56 off 35 at the end. But Ruhan Pretorius was never going to give up without a fight and he replied with 163 (nine fours, 14 sixes) but when he was out with the total on 320 after 40 overs, Woodvale lost their last four wickets for four runs. ***Instonians total is a record in the Premier League beating Woodvale's 422/6 v Derriaghy in June 2023 at Ballygomartin Road.***

A record Premier League third wicket stand of 252 between Jake Egan and professional Hermann Rolfes ensured CIYMS followed up their victory over Waringstown with a crushing 142 runs success over Muckamore. Egan scored 120 (nine fours, three sixes) and Rolfes 142 (17 fours, 2 sixes) as CI posted 327-4. Jason van der Merwe top scored for Muckamore with 45 and Neil Gill was 40 not out when they were bowled out for 185.

Faiz Fazal hit the last two balls of the match to give Lisburn a remarkable one wicket victory over Civil Service North. When Matthew Foster dismissed Adam Kennedy at the start of the 48th over, Lisburn, chasing 257 for victory, were 227 for nine. Last man Callum Atkinson took a single off his second ball and Fazal did the rest, facing all 15 balls and finishing on 145 not out. It looked like Foster was going to be the CSN hero when he bowled three 'dot' balls to Fazal to start the final over, but the Indian professional then sprung into life, taking a two off the fourth ball and then clearing the boundary from the final two balls. James Hunter scored 51 but Matthew Humphreys was third top score with 17. Marc Ellison scored 88 in the visitors' 256 for six with Harry Dyer putting them in a strong position with 53 not out. But Fazal had the final say as Lisburn made it three wins out of three to stay top of the table.

Muckamore took the last three Cliftonville Academy wickets for two runs to claim a 20 runs victory at Moylena. The home side were held up by an eighth wicket partnership of 86 between John Glass and Adam Kelso but professional Randeera Ranasinge bowled Kelso for 36 and next ball captain Sathish Suresh wrecked the stumps of Glass. He took the final wicket four balls later. Jason van der Merwe top scored for Muckamore with 64 in their total of 245 for eight.

Instonians won a thriller at The Green by two wickets, with one ball to spare. Needing nine off the last over, Cian Robertson scored them all, off Josh Corbett, a single from the fifth ball leaving him on 62 not out. James Lambert had given him good support in an eighth wicket stand of 32 after Andrew White had been bowled by Corbett for 46. Top scorer in the match was North Down wicket-keeper Kian Hilton with 69, while Craig Young followed up his 40 on Saturday with 39 as North Down finished on 224 for eight.

Woodvale produced a memorable chase to deny Templepatrick their first Premier League win, in a game of three centuries. The newcomers’ temporary professional Neil Brand scored the first, 144 off 107 balls with 18 fours and three sixes, in his side’s total of 313 for six, but Woodvale had a ‘sub pro’ of their own in South African Eddie Moore and he hit an undefeated 128 off 112 balls (five fours, nine sixes) and Ruhan Pretorius made 132 off 110 balls (14 fours and six sixes), his 10th century for Woodvale. The two shared a third wicket stand of 234, with Pretorius caught just nine runs short of the winning post. Finn Restieaux won the match with a six.

CIYMS recorded their first win of the season with a superb comeback win to defeat champions Waringstown at The Lawn. The visitors were second favourites at halfway having been bowled out for 187 in the 41st over as Tom Mayes, after his stunning century on Saturday, showed off his strongest suit with a six-wicket haul. Only Chris Dougherty, with 61, provided any resistance. Waringstown were still on course for a comfortable victory at 119-4 until captain Greg Thompson and Adam Dennison (54) were dismissed within four balls either side of the drinks break. This time Mayes couldn’t repeat his heroics with the bat, caught down the leg side from Hermann Rolfes’ final ball and Jacob Mulder also took a wicket with his final delivery, his fifth of the innings. When James Mitchell hit Alex Armstrong straight to mid-off, Ross Allen was left stranded on 23 not out and CI had won by 12 runs.

North Down completed an impressive chase to record their second win, with a three wickets success at Belmont. Professional Mickey Copleland was 87 not out when Peter Davison won the match with 20 balls to spare. Set 220, the home side were favourites when North Down lost their sixth wicket in the 30th over but Craig Young (40) shared a seventh wicket stand of 82 with Copeland and the South African saw his new side home. A fifth wicket stand of 78 between Hermann Rolfes (77) and Carson McCullough with a personal best 80 (five fours and four sixes) dominated the CI innings as they finished on 219 for nine.

A superb individual performance by Jared Wilson was not enough to take his Cliftonville Academy side to victory, falling nine runs short in a thrilling match at the Castle Grounds that saw 625 runs. Wilson took 5-59, including the last four wickets for six runs, as Instonians finished on 317-9. Rob McKinley hit 88 and Neil Rock, after his record-breaking 173 on Friday night, hit another six sixes before he was dismissed immediately after reaching his 50. The home side looked down and out at halfway in the reply, on 125 for four, but Abhishek Raut hit 103 and Wilson 93 off 60 balls (five fours and nine sixes) to leave them needing 38 off 38 balls with four wickets left. Even when James Magee dismissed Wilson after being hit for three sixes in the over, Cliftonville Academy captain Matty McCord maintained the charge with a run-a-ball 24. But he could not beat the experience of Andrew White who took two wickets in the 49th over and 12 runs off the last proved too much.

Civil Service North romped to a nine wickets victory after bowling out Woodvale for just 91. The bowling attack mauled by Neil Rock less than 24 hours earlier, bounced back in style with James West finishing with figures of 7.2-5-6-4. Ruhan Pretorius provided the only Woodvale resistance with 36. West, opening the batting then hit 41 not out as CSN won with more than 33 overs to spare.

Lisburn made it two wins out of two with an eight wickets victory in Templepatrick's first ever Premier League home game. The hosts put up a respectable 190 for nine, batting out the 50 overs despite skipper Ross Bryans being eighth man out for 60 in the 39th over. Ryan Macbeth, who took three wickets in an impressive opening spell took the ninth wicket to finish with four for 32. The target proved no problem for the visitors with Ross Adair, on his Lisburn debut, making 93 from 71 balls with 13 fours and four sixes. Faiz Fazal then scored an undefeated half-century before Neil Whitworth hit the winning boundary in the 32nd over.

A career best 137 not out from Tom Mayes rescued Waringstown from 61 for six and lead them to a comfortable 142 runs victory. Mayes, who faced 88 balls and hit seven fours and 11 sixes, shared a seventh wicket stand of 180 with professional Daniel van der Merwe who scored 76, with seven fours and three sixes. Waringstown finished on 294 for eight and Mayes then took two early wickets to reduce Muckamore to 30 for three. Their fourth wicket stand of 43, however, was the only one over 20 as they were bowled out for 152 in 36 overs.

Neil Rock smashed 16 sixes and 11 fours in a blistering 173 frim 64 balls as Instonians beat CSNI by 92 runs in their rearranged Premiership T20 game. 'Pebbles' brutal assault on the beleaguered CSNI attack took the Shaw's Bridge side to a mammoth 257 for 6, with Shane Dadswell chipping in with 21 in what was essentially a one-man show. That was always going to be too many to chase, and two wickets apiece for Andy White and James Magee reduced them to 69 for 6. Stuart Thompson's undefeated 78 from 46 balls (6 fours, 3 sixes) as he and Paddy Beverland (28) added 70 in seven overs to finish on 165 for 7. As a footnote, Rock's 173 is the third highest individual score for the club, and not surprisingly their highest T20 score. Andrew White's 177 in the Irish Cup still holds the record.

Captain Tyron Koen and new professional Mickey Copeland eased North Down to a seven wickets victory over Cliftonville Academy. In a match delayed until 1.50pm and reduced to 37 overs, the visitors were bowled out for 99 with Copeland taking 4-17 in 6.2 overs. The South African then showed off his all-round talent with an unbeaten 35 in an unbroken partnership of 48 with new signing Koen who won the match with a six.

Templepatrick’s first ever match in the Premier League ended in defeat at Moylena. Batting first, the new boys were restricted to 126 for seven in a match reduced by a rain interruption to 28 overs. Neil Brand, playing as a temporary professional, and opener Jack Smyth both scored 30. Muckamore’s target was upgraded to 152 but 47 not out from Mark Gleghorne saw them home with five balls to spare. New professional Randeera Ranasinge, batting at No 7, hit 26 off 18 balls.

Lisburn were the first Premier League winners of the new season but only after a thrilling finish in a low-scoring game at Wallace Park. CIYMS were bowled out for 103 with new signing Jake Egan’s 44 the only significant contribution as NCU chief executive Callum Atkinson had the best bowling figures of 3-33. Lisburn were 102 for five in reply but, remarkably, lost four wickets for one run before Ryan McBeth and last man Atkinson scrambled the winning single.

No play was possible in the final Section One match of the season meaning that Laurelvale finish in second place, 0.02 above Lurgan on NRR. With Carrickfergus reluctant to accept promotion to the Premier League, a decision rests with the NCU as to how things move forward. Will Carrick be forced to accept a PL place in 2026, or will Laurelvale be offered that spot? Or perhaps Templepatrick will get a stay of execution - watch this space! Did someone say unprecedented?

Defeat for Ballymena meant their Section One survival was dependent on Cregagh losing to Lurgan and Derriaghy losing to Downpatrick. In the end both were DLS winners by small margins and Ballymena’s fate was sealed.

Derriaghy survive! A win's a win and Derriaghy will play in Section One next season with this result, professional Renco Adams' unbeaten 62 just enough to claim the points. His counterpart Marco Wyngard totally dominated the Downpatrick innings with 131, the next highest score 18 by Jacob Vinod. A last wicket partnership of 74 off 46 balls - Samuel Irwin 0* and facing only 6 balls!! Great relief at Queensway tonight after a day of frayed nerves.

Carrick's sub-par total proved to be their downfall as rain reduced the Laurelvale chase to a very modest one, Alex Webb seeing his side home after earlier runs from Babar Khan and Adnan Malik.

With Derriaghy winning today this became a must win game for Cregagh who trailed Ballymena on NRR in the second relegation spot. The first four Lurgan wickets fell to Danny Cooper and then three to Max Shannon as Lurgan were bowled out for a modest 157. Bob Moore and Cooper set Cregagh on their way with an opening partnership of 42 then with rain threatening a burst from Cooper took them clear on DLS. No more play possible and Cregagh retain their Section One status sitting in the clubhouse.

Derriaghy remain in the bottom two after this defeat by Carrickfergus. CJ vd Walt and Atish Varape with better than a run-a-ball fifties setting the hosts an unlikely 170 for a much needed win. A steady start to the chase from Ross Bailey and Chris Beckett and a late surge from Renco Adams and Ivan Sinovich not enough for Derriaghy who are in the Last Chance Saloon tomorrow when Downpatrick are the visitors. The other two basement teams Cregagh and Ballymena are both away, at Lurgan and Armagh respectively. The Section One relegation battle going all the way.

7 overs match. Toss: Bangor. Van der Linde 40 from 15 balls, including 5 sixes.

Ben Mackey took four wickets as Armagh bowled out Donacloney Mill for just 79 - two wickets also for William Mann and Luan Liebenberg. Oliver Mann (33*) and Jamie Rogers (24) were then in the runs as they sealed the seven-wicket win in the 18th over.

Mark Thornbury (86*) was instrumental as Laurelvale beat Cregagh by 102 runs. He hit 7 fours and 2 sixes with runs too for Daryl Henry (29) and Michael Burns (22), as he shared stands of 52 and un unbroken 68 for the last with the pair respectively. Finn Cross (4-20) was the pick of the Cregagh attack. Burns then took three wickets and Adam Speers four as Cregagh were bundled out for 84 - Bob Moore making 28.

Carrickfergus clinched the Section One title with a 66-run win over Downpatrick in a low scoring game at The Meadow. A tough first innings saw Carrick post 124 - helped in no small measure by 40 extras, with CJ van der Walt (22) and Callum Styles (21*) making 20's. Downpatrick in the chase only batted nine and were bowled out for 58 - four wickets for Atish Varape and two for Van Der Walt. There seems to be some doubt whether Carrick actually want to play in the top flight and that will be determined over the coming weeks and months.

An unbroken fourth wicket stand of 143 between former Irish international Mark Hutchinson (92*) and skipper Johnny Parker (60*) helped Bangor chase 187 to beat Derriaghy at Upritchard Park, The Queensway side's innings saw 58 apiece from Renco Adams and Craig Lewis in a partnership of 91. Manav Chhabra (4-16) was the stand-out performer with the ball for the Seasiders.

Lurgan's title hopes finally ended with a 37-run loss against Ballymena in a high scoring match at Pollock Park. Curtley Deelman thumped 22 fours and 5 sixes in an unbeaten 178 as Ballymena posted 339 for 5. He shared a fourth wicket stand of 164 with Stephen Colgan, who hit 12 fours in his 75. Lurgan made a real fist of it in the chase with half centuries for Callum Grieve and Jake Collingwood taking them to 180 for 1. They then lost four wickets for five runs, and ultimately were bowled out for 302 despite a 29-ball 66 for Stephen Chambers (10 fours).

In the latest finish of the day 200-4 became 201-7 as Cregagh struggled to score the 23 more needed for the win. In the end it took Max Shannon (17*) and Daniel Henry (3*) 35 deliveries to eke out the runs required.

Lurgan kept their outside hopes of the title alive with a 45-run win at Derriaghy. Stephen Chambers made 67 and Jack Maxwell 30 as they posted 225 - five wickets for Craig Lewis and three for Renco Adams. The Derriaghy duo also led the way as they tried to chase down their target, with Adams making 49 and Lewis 25, but they were bowled out for 180 as John Guy took four wickets.

Armagh had a thumping 211-run win over Downpatrick at The Meadow. Luan Liebenberg hit 14 fours in a top score of 96, while there were runs too for Jamie Rogers (53) and Sam Wilson (41) in a total of 262-9 - three wickets apiece for Ardasha Vasudeva and Sam Irwin. Downpatrick were then bundled out for just 51 - three wickets each for Ben Mackey and Luan Liebenberg, while William Mann and Matthew Wilson claimed a brace apiece.

Laurelvale chased 196 to beat Donacloney Mill in a close contest at the Factory Ground. Matthew Lyttle's 58 not out the best of DM's 195 - four wickets for Davy Sinton. Babar Khan thumped 7 fours and 4 sixes in a 36-ball 60 to get the chase off to a frantic start, with Daryl Henry (36) and Mark Thornbury (29) continuing the good work in the three-wicket win.

Alex Haggan joined AB de Villiers as a Carrickfergus double centurion with a quite remarkable innings at Middle Road. The hosts had been in real trouble at 13 for 4 - all four to Michael Skelly - when Haggan joined CJ van der Walt (36) in the middle. The pair started the salvage operation with a partnership of 66, but that stand was dwarfed when Haggan was joined by Prince Sharma. A royal show as they put on 286, with Haggan making 223 not out from 155 balls - 31 fours and 8 sixes! Quite remarkable. Sharma's 67 not out was also valuable in a Carrick total of 365 for 5. Bangor opener Sam McMillan and skipper Johnny Parker both scored half centuries in the chase but they were bowled out for 196 - three wickets apiece for Van Der Walt and Ryan Eagleson.

Ian Butler powered Bangor to a comfortable six-wicket at home to Downpatrick. The visitors had recovered from 57 for 5 to make 143, thanks primarily to Lijo Sebastian's 51 (5 fours, 4 sixes). The chase began in quick fashion as Butler and Sam McMillan (38) added 97 for the first wicket. Butler cleared the hedges six times as well as hitting six fours in a 55-ball 71 - dismissed with just seven needed. Connor Brown also fell to give the score a closer feel than it actually warranted.

Closest game of the day was at Eaton Park where visitors Laurelvale chased down 175 to win a tight contest by three wickets. Ballymena had reached 110 for 2 thanks to runs from Curtley Deelman 51 (4 fours, 2 sixes), Scott Willoughby (41) and Peter Bristow (30), but collapsed to 174 all out - four wickets for Khurshid Subhani and three for Adam Speers. Adnan Malik raced out of the traps with a rapid 46 (5 fours, 3 sixes), but they were pegged back by four wickets for Deelman. 22 were still needed when the 7th wicket fell, but Laurelvale got there - skipper David Sinton (25*) and Syed Ali (17*) ensuring the win.

Armagh got the better of Derriaghy with a six-wicket win at Queensway. The hosts batting failed to fire as they were bowled out for just 147 - Jonathan Bell top-scoring with 28. Luan Liebenberg (4-34) and Stuart Lester (3-56) doing the bulk of the damage. Sam Wilson (33) got the chase off to a brisk start, and the result was never in doubt after a third wicket stand of 50 between Jamie Rogers (23) and Michael Villiers, who made an unbeaten 40. Craig Lewis took three of the four wickets to fall.

Leaders Carrickfergus not only collected the points but improved their NRR with an emphatic 189-run win against Cregagh at Middle Road. Skipper CJ van der Walt top-scored with 118 from 95 balls (14 fours, 4 sixes) adding a fourth wicket partnership with Iain Parkhill 108 (11 fours) as the hosts made 319 for 5. Cregagh never threatened the chase, bowled out for 130 with Alistair Watt (39*) and James Reid (30) their main contributors. Prince Sharma and Ryan Eagleson claimed three wickets apiece and Alex Haggan two in an impressive all-round display by Carrick.

Lurgan kept their promotion hopes alive with a 28-run win over Donacloney Mill at Pollock Park. The hosts made 281 with two excellent stands - an opening one of 91 between skipper Stephen Johnston (54) and Jaydee Oliver (36) and a third wicket of 117 between Jake Collingwood 80 (8 fours, 3 sixes) and Stephen Chambers (53). DM certainly gave it a shake with Ryan Matthews (63), Neil Kilpatrick (41), Adam Kennedy (35) and Matthew Lyttle (30) all passing 30 in a reply of 253 for 9. Jack Maxwell (3-39) and Adam Johnson (3-40) picked up three wickets apiece for Lurgan.

Renco Adams (6-21) and Ivan Sinovich (4-30) combined to bowl promotion hopefuls Donacloney Mill out for just 55 to effectively end their aspirations. The chase was over inside seven overs as they raced to a seven-wicket win - Craig Lewis thumping four fours and a maximum in a typically hard-hit knock.

Luan Liebenberg took five wickets for Armagh as they bowled out Laurelvale for 123, with Adnan Malik top-scoring with 53 (5 fours, 1 six). Armagh were always in control of the chase despite the best efforts of David Sinton and Adam Speers who took two wickets apiece. Sam Wilson hit seven fours and a six in his 43, adding 53 with Jamie Rogers, who would go on to make 50 (9 fours) adding a further 41 with Harry Boyd (13*) in a five-wicket win.

Bangor yet again got the better of Cregagh, following up their T20 Cup success with an eight-wicket win in the league at the Memorial Grounds. Michael Skelly was the destroyer-in-chief as he claimed five wickets, while George Prince got two as the hosts were bowled out for 130. Mark Hutchinson (27*) anchored the chase that was over in just 19 overs, adding 54 for the first wicket with Sam McMillan (39) and 62 for the second with Connor Brown (42) - both of whom hit six fours and a maximum in the easiest of wins.

Carrickfergus took a massive step towards an immediate return to the top flight with an 186-run demolition of challengers Lurgan. It was the Atish Varape show at Middle Road with the professional top-scoring with 115 (15 fours, 1 six) and taking five wickets. Varapre's century included stands of 88 for the second wicket with Michael Gilmour 57 and 103 for the third with Callum Styles (42). Alex Haggan inflicted further punishment with a 22-ball 47 in a total of 319 for 6 - three wickets for John Giy. Lurgan were bowled out for just 133 with Jake Collingwood making 24, and 21 apiece for Jack Maxwell and Nithin Babu. Varape claimed 5-40, while there were two wickets apiece for Prince Sharma and CJ van der Walt in a victory that moves them 12 points clear at the top.

Ballymena enjoyed themselves at The Meadow coming away with a 42-run win over Downpatrick at The Meadow. They recovered from 17 for 3 to post 212 with Curtley Deelman hitting 10 fours in a top score of 64 and Sam Glass making 50 (4 fours, 1 six). There was also an entertaining cameo from Nick van Linde who thumped four sixes in a 13-ball 32. Downpatrick looked in control of the chase at 67 for 0 and 154 for 3, but imploded losing their last seven wickets for just 17 runs to be 170 all out - four wickets for Scott Willoughby and two each for Michael Caithness, Deelman and Glass to complete all-round excellent games for the duo.

Off for rain with the scores tied on DLS and no further play possible.

Connor Brown and Matthew Skelly combined to dismiss Downpatrick for just 39 on their way to a seven-wicket win that keeps them in mid-table and Downpatrick rooted to the bottom. Brown took 6 for 14, while Skelly claimed 4 for 20 in a superb effort by the duo. The chase was over in under eight overs, but Sam Irwin did take two of the three Bangor wickets to fall to take the bad look off the heavy defeat.

Lurgan moved to the top courtesy of a 22-run win over title rivals Carrickfergus. Jaydee Oliver top-scored with 92 (11 fours) sharing a second wicket stand of 139 with Jake Collingwood (77) as they made 272 for 5. Carrick were always behind the rate and only got relatively close thanks to a wonderful 153 from skipper CJ van der Walt whose 113-ball knock (15 fours, 6 sixes) rescued them from 124 for 7 to 250. Paul Stafford and Nithin Babu each took three wickets, while there was two for Darwish Nazari.

Over 700 runs were scored at the Factory Ground as leaders Donacloney Mill lost by 46 runs to Derriaghy. Ryan Beckett made 113 from 106 balls (14 fours, 3 sixes), sharing stands of 112 with David Scott (70), 95 with Ben Kenny (43), and 81 with Renco Adams (66) as they piled up for 376 for 6. It looked as if it wouldn't be enough as Judd Markham thumped a 70-ball 121 (14 fours, 7 sixes) as he and Shane Warren (44) added 170 in 17 overs. Jonathan Bell got the breakthrough, while Ben Kenny's four wickets proved crucial in eventually sealing the win.

Stuart Nelson's unbeaten 116 helped Cregagh recover from 32 for 3 to chase down 239 at Bangor. Nelson's 110-ball innings included 10 fours and two sixes, and he received excellent support from Adam McCormick (39) and Alistair Watt (25*) in the 9th wicket stand. Earlier, Johnny Parker's 76 had helped Bangor to 238 for 8.

Adam Speers century was pivotal as Laurelvale chased down 177 to beat Armagh by six wickets. Speers made exactly 100 from 89 balls (10 fours, 5 sixes) sharing a third wicket stand of 112 with Babar Khan (28) that broke the back of the chase. Armagh's 177 saw starts for Michael Villiers (48), Sam Wilson (40), Aaron Wright (30) and Luan Liebenberg (21) got starts but didn't kick on.

Ballymena had little trouble beating Downpatrick by 116 runs thanks to a fine all-round display. Scott Willoughby went off like a train, making 39 of the first 43, hitting a 16-ball 39 (3 fours, 4 sixes). That was continued on by William Montgomery's 64 (8 fours, 1 six) as the Eaton Park side made 205. The chase didn't get going as they were bundled out for 88 - three wickets for Sam Glass, and two apiece for Scott Willoughby and Jamie Watt.

A 40 run partnership for the ninth wicket between Skipper David Sinton and Michael Burns carried Laurelvale to the brink of victory. Number 11 Jack Burns survived two deliveries while Sinton knocked off the 11 required to claim the win.

Match abandoned without a ball bowled.

Ballymena’s Scott Willoughby played the most spectacular innings of the day, his 147 off just 68 balls containing 16x4 and 10x6 but it was to no avail as the rain arrived in Bangor earlier than predicted to end proceedings.

Lurgan were unable to force home their first innings advantage against Laurelvale due to the weather but remain unbeaten with 3 wins from 3 outings leaving them one win behind the leading pair, Carrickfergus and Donacloney Mill.

Atish Varape, Carrickfergus’ signing from rivals Donacloney Mill continues to do the business for them with both bat and ball, four wickets and the run out Derriaghy top scorer Aaron Kinnin (67) as the ‘Aghy totalled a below par 210/9 a a rain reduced 48 overs. Varape then saw Carrick across the line with a better than a run-a-ball half century (58*) in an unbroken 88 run partnership with Iain Parkhill (35*) their side’s 127-1 in 24 overs a comfortable 54 run DLS margin when rain ended the game.

Atish Varape’s replacement at Donacloney Mill is a young Irish passport holding Aussie Jude Markham, (remember the name!) a left-hander with a reputation as a attacking opener. That was certainly in evidence today as he raced to 43 off just 14 balls - with 42 of those coming in boundaries, Humza Khan’s opening over disappearing in a 4,4,6,4,4,4 blitz. Runs from Ryan Matthews (54) and Alex Ogle (43) carried the Mill to 246-9 in their 50 overs. And it was Ogle again with the ball as he claimed three wickets in a Downpatrick innings that never got going with Markam’s left-arm spin claiming Khan’s wicket after his earlier onslaught rubbing salt into the wounds. Downpatrick had subsided to 96-8 with 27 overs bowled, a massive 124 runs behind on DLS when the match was abandoned.

Marco Wyngard's 96 proved the difference between the sides as Downpatrick beat Laurelvale by 10 runs in their T20 rearranged Section One game at The Meadow. The South African hit 10 fours and 6 sixes in a 54-ball 96 that dominated their total of 150 for 7 - Gavin Ringland making 28. There were three wickets apiece for Adam Speers and Jack Burns. The chase was always a nip and tuck affair with Adnan malik hitting a breezy 35 (2 fours, 2 sixes), but the visitors were always a little behind the required rate in the closing stages falling 10 adrift. All six home side bowlers used claimed a wicket apiece.

Laurevale had a successful chase as they successfully got the 205 needed to beat Cregagh by four wickets. Aaron Johnston (41) and Matthew Simpson (39) shared a fifth wicket stand of 67, while Alistair Watt (35) added late runs - three wickets for Davy Sinton. Mark Thornbury (29) and Adnan Malik (25) shared an opening stand of 67, while Adam (41) and John Speers (30) added 67 for the third. There was a slight wobble as Adam Beattie claimed three wickers, but Alex Webb (25*) and Babar Khan (25*) added an unbroken 45 for the 7th wicket to ensure the Laurelvale side collected the points.

Carrick beat Downpatrick in an entertaining game at Middle Road, most notable for the home side fielding Iain Parkhill alongside his sons Jay and Elliott. Iain made 29 in a second wicket stand of 72 with overseas professional Atish Varape (52), while there were runs throughout the side from skipper CJ van der Walt (48), Alex Haggan (44), and Anthony Martin (31*) - who added 51 in less than five overs with Ryan Eagleson (19*) - as Carrick posted 285 for 7. Marco Wyngard (77) and Byron Woodruff (39) shared a fourth wicket stand of 102 in the chase, but three wickets for Anthony Martin and also for youngster Elliott Parkhill who got his senior career up and running with a triple wicket maiden in a 91-run win.

Jake Collingwood was the nemesis for Ballymena as his inspired all-round display saw Lurgan beat Ballymena by seven wickets at Eaton Park. Scott Willoughby top-scored with 39 (6 fours, 2 sixes) in an opening stand of 60, but it was all downhill from there as Collingwood claimed 5 for 10, and Darwish Nazari 3-30 as they slumped to 119 all out. Stephen Johnston (28) and Peter Maxwell (19) got the chase off to a solid start with a 55-run opening partnership, and while Curtley Deelman struck twice, overseas professional Collingwood hastened his side to victory inside 20 overs with a 37-ball unbeaten 47 (6 fours, 2 sixes).

Judd Markham produced another incredible display of clean striking as he thumped 13 sixes and 10 fours in a 59-ball 136 that ultimately powered league leaders Donacloney Mill to a 39-run win over Armagh. Markham shared an opening stand of 182 in 16 overs with Shane Warren (26), while there were runs too for Ryan Matthews (43) and Neil Kilpatrick (25). A late collapse saw them go from 235/2 to 287 all out with eight overs unused - five wickets for Ben Mackey (5-33). Sam Wilson (43) and Jamie Rogers (34) raced out of the traps with an opening partnership of 64 in 7.3 overs, while there were runs too for Harry Doyle (48), Matthew Steenson (35) and Ben Mackey (23) in a spirited chase. Alex Ogle took four wickets and Harry Lockhart three in the victory.

Will Simpson cleared the ropes six times in an unbeaten 65 from 48 balls to help Bangor recover from 26/3 and 81/5 to chase 212 to beat Derriaghy by three wickets. Simpson received help from Connor Browne (38), Adam McCusker (28), Andrew Kirkpatrick (27) and Manav Chhabra (26). The Derriaghy inningsof 211 was all about overseas professional Renco Adams who top-scored with 107 from 103 balls (12 fours, 4 sixes). He was one of three wickets for Angus Farrell, while Chhabra (3-27) also picked up three scalps.

Cregagh recorded a six-wickets win over Ballymena that had seemed very unlikely as the Eaton Park side raced out of the traps in the first 11 overs batting first. Scott Willoughby thumped 9 fours and 4 sixes in a 34-ball 75 that had 99 on the board in no time. His dismissal though restored normal order and with Max Shannon claiming a five wicket haul, as well as three for Adam McCormick, Ballymena were 205 all out in the 37th over. McCormick then turned his attention to batting, hitting 8 fours and 2 sixes in an even time unbeaten 86, sharing stands of 81 for the third wicket with Aaron Johnston (39) and an unbroken 51 for the fifth with Alastair Watt (21*).

The quickest result of the day came at Laurelvale where the home side were skittled for just 93 by Donacloney Mill, despite a breezy 25 from Adnan Malik (5 fours), Alex Ogle with four wickets and Matthew Lyttle three, doing the bulk of the damage. The chase was over in a blur - 35 balls to be exact - as overseas professional Judd Markham hit a 26-ball unbeaten 86, that included 9 fours and 7 sixes in as one-sided contest as there is.

Atish Varape and Alex Haggan were the stars for Carrickfergus as they beat Armagh by seven wickets in their Section One league opener, played on a T20 basis after Saturday's original fixture was postponed. Batting first, Armagh started well reaching 77 for 2 in the 12th over, with new overseas professional Luan Liebenberg top-scoring with 43 from 35 balls (3 fours, 1 six). However, Alex Haggan (4-14), Atish Varape (3-11) and skipper CJ van der Walt (2-15) were all among the wickets as The Mall side lost their last eight wickets for just 27 runs to be a modest 104 all out. The chase didn't start well for the home side with wickets for Liebenberg, Harry Boyd and a Gareth McCarter run out seeing them faltering at 27 for 3 in the 7th over. Thereafter though, Varape and Haggan followed up their bowling exploits with an unbroken 4th wicket stand of 80 in 11 overs to ensure an ultimately comfortable seven-wickets win. Varape top-scored with an unbeaten 49 from 45 balls (5 fours, 1 six), while Haggan cleared the ropes twice in his even time 34 not out.

Lurgan made a winning start with a six wickets victory over Bangor in a match reduced to 43 overs. Only two players topped 20 in the Bangor innings of 105 all out, with John Guy taking three for 25. An unbeaten 51 from Jake Collingwood eased the visitors to victory with 17 overs to spare.

The Derriaghy bowlers made up for a disappointing batting display to claim a 38 runs victory in their opening game. Bowled out for 132, despite 34 from Renco Adams and Craig Lewis’ 27 – Adam McCormick took three wickets – Cregagh collapsed from 42-0 to 94 all out. Wayne Hughes and Ross Bailey shared six of the wickets, Bailey finishing the match with 3-6 in 4.4 overs.

Scott Willoughby started the season off in sensational fashion with a stunning 83 from 42 balls in an opening stand of 109. It allowed Ballymena to total 249-8 with William Montgomery scoring 46. But their efforts were in a losing cause as Neil Kilkpatrick responded with 70 off 66 balls and a superb last wicket partnership of 38 between Mark Hanna (40 not out) and Tim McClure (10 not out) saw Donaghcloney Mill home with 15 balls to spare.