Instonians Premier League winning captain Nikolai Smith hailed an all-round team effort as the final “pieces of the jigsaw” fell into place.

Smith will receive the trophy after their final game against Civil Service North, fittingly in front of their home supporters and families at Shaw’s Bridge.

The title – their first since 2016 – was confirmed on Monday when defending champions Lisburn, and Instonians’ only remaining challengers, lost at Waringstown. It was a game which Smith followed closely.

“A lot of us followed it as it would have nice to win it before this weekend. We knew we had the best nett run rate but we wanted to win it outright so with the result going our way we were happy,” said Smith, who was also the skipper seven years ago and one of six players who will receive a second winners’ medal.

“We’ve always had the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle, we just haven’t put them together in the last couple of years for a number of reasons. We had a lot of injuries but having those guys available this time, getting Jordy (McClurkin) back on board just drove everything forward and once you have the momentum it continues from week to week.

A celebration victory tomorrow would be their 12th of the 14-match campaign with the victories over CIYMS and Waringstown, the ones that effectively won the title.

“Those four games were probably our best when we stepped up when we needed to. Last Saturday (against Waringstown) was great when we had them 90 for six and then the way we chased it down (inside 10 overs) was dominant” said Smith.

“But looking back at the all the games, the win margins have been quite big but both games against CI were brilliant, as was the Waringstown game at Shaw’s Bridge when it looked as if they would win at a canter but we came back and we also beat Lisburn in the first game after the split. That was big.”

Top scorer in that win was Cade Carmichael, the 21-year-old South African who has enjoyed a wonderful breakthrough season with over 700 runs at an average of 57, and Smith insists there is more to come.

“We knew how talented he was and it just a case of him putting it together and he certainly did that this year and he has levels he can go to which we hope he can reach and hopefully we can help him reach that because he has been fantastic.”

“But individuals in each game have stepped up at crucial times and ones maybe don’t have the stats to back them up and fly just below the radar.

“Daniel Rose might not be in the top four wicket-tkaers and top 20 batters but he has taken crucial wickets and scored crucial runs at crucial times. Ben Rose the same, probably doesn’t get the plaudits he should so it was a real team effort.

“And then  then we have guys like Cade, Shane Dadswell – if you could write down your ideal type of person you want as a professional, he exceeds all those with his will and desire to win every game. Whitey (Andrew White) is the top wicket-taker in the league and Shane Getkate in those last two games, it may not have been a 50 or 60 not out but his 21 off seven balls against CI sealed it.”

The most important match of the day on Saturday is at Ballygomartin Road where Derriaghy’s fight to avoid relegation remains in their own hands after Woodvale’s game against Carrickfergus was rained off last night

It leaves the Queensway side eight points behind Woodvale, their opponents in their last two games. The first is at Derriaghy tomorrow when anything but a home win will send Curtis Moorhead’s team back to Section One.