In the Premier League they have Instonians and Lisburn to catch after both continued their winning form in rain-reduced matches yesterday.

Leaders Instonians were on easy street against North Down at The Green, restricting them to 166 for nine in their 31 overs and then reached their revised target with more than six overs to spare as Shane Dadswell finished 113 not out from 78 balls with eight fours and seven sixes.

Matthew Humphreys was the hero for Lisburn – with the bat. When he went in at the fall of the fifth wicket, Lisburn needed 65 from eight overs but when he was out after facing just 19 balls he had scored 33 and Lisburn required just eight runs from nine balls.

He wasn’t actually dismissed by a bowler, rather he was ruled to have intentionally got in the way throw to run him out and was given out by umpire Jonathan Kennedy for obstructing the field.

Humphreys had done enough, however, and David Simpson hit the winning runs with two balls to spare to leave Ryan Harrison’s 115 for Civil Service North in a losing cause. The New Zealander faced just 95 balls and hit nine fours and four sixes.