Lisburn off mark with Robinson Services Cup win over Carrickfergus

After winning the toss and electing to bowl, Lisburn had Carrick sitting at 46/9 before a 10th wicket partnership of 44 between Callum Styles (18*) and Barry Venus (24*) in the final four overs pushed the visitors up to 90/9.

Opener Iain Parkhill (24) batted through the majority of their innings, dismissed as the eighth wicket after he was bowled by Josh Manley (2-12) and he was the only man in the top eight to reach double figures.

As expected with a low total, most of Lisburn’s bowlers returned superb figures with David Simpson (3-9) leading the way while he was ably supported by Cameron Doak (2-9) and Matthew Humphreys (2-14).

In reply, Lisburn reached their target with 23 balls to spare as captain Adam Berry (33), who also donned the wicketkeeper gloves, playing a part in three dismissals, led by example with the bat while NCU U17 captain Humphreys (24) completed a solid all-round performance.

The result leaves winless Carrickfergus sitting at the bottom of the table with two games in the regular season left to go and it doesn’t get any easier for them as they prepare for the visit of Waringstown this weekend.

Jack Dickson (73*) was the star of the day as the 17-year-old registered his first ever top-flight half-century in Instonians 91-run victory over Woodvale at Shaws Bridge.

Instonians captain Andrew White has been using this season to push younger talents at the club up the batting order and Dickson more than justified his promotion, scoring his runs from 42 deliveries which included four fours and six maximums.

Batting alongside Irish international Shane Getkate (56 from 41), the duo put on 118 for the fourth wicket as Instonians finished on 175/6 despite former player Stephen Bunting returning figures of 3-25.

Ben Rose (2-20) removed the dangerous Wayne Horwood early before White (4-12) and James Lambert (2-6) helped finish the job off in a victory that will benefit their net run-rate.

North Down are now almost guaranteed a place in the semi-finals after they breezed past CSNI by 61 runs at Stormont.

The visitors got off to a flying start as Paul Stirling (47) and Ruhan Pretorius (58*) put on 71 for the opening wicket before Ryan Haire’s (43 from 18) brutal late-innings hitting, which included four sixes, pushed North Down up to 172/5.

Ross Adair and Marc Ellison, CSNI’s batting heroes of last weekend, were both dismissed inside three overs as Pretorius (2-19) and Craig Young (1-33) claimed a wicket each before it was over to leg-spinner Carl Robinson (3-17), who continued his brilliant 2020 campaign and Peter Davison (3-18) to close the show as CSNI were bowled out for 111 in the final over.

North Down are tied on 16 points with CIYMS at the top of the table ahead of their crunch league clash on Saturday and a LVS Twenty20 Cup final meeting the following day, which is set to be a thriller.

CI were also in the winner’s circle as they bounced back from defeat to Instonians last weekend with an 18-run victory at home to Waringstown.

Chris Dougherty (42 from 28) once again top-scored for the Belmont side while Jason van der Merwe (33) and James Cameron-Dow (21*) helped push them up to 159/7.

Waringstown’s Adam Dennison was trapped lbw by Mark Adair and James Hall was caught off the bowling of Allen Coulter to leave the Villagers sitting on 3-2 within seven deliveries.

James McCollum (57 from 48) and Greg Thompson (49 from 31) came together to put on a magnificent 103 for the third wicket before the latter was run out by Jacob Mulder and Morgan Topping followed soon after, bowled by Adair (3-27).

When Coulter (4-14) returned to have McCollum caught in the 16th over the game swung massively in CI’s favour to help move them one step closer to almost certain play-off qualification.

Elsewhere, defending champions CSNI will meet Waringstown in the Gallagher Women’s Challenge Cup final on August 30 after both won their semi-finals yesterday.

CSNI, who beat Muckamore in last year’s decider at Stormont, will be out to retain their title after defeating Lurgan by five wickets.

Batting first, Lurgan posted 113/2 in their 20 overs before Player of the Match Sophie Thomas (44) and Sarah Rountree (25*) helped the visitors to victory.

At The Lawn, Charlotte Lyons scored 43* as Waringstown successfully chased Muckamore’s total of 136/5 to win by seven wickets.

Molly Mathers also contributed 21 as Waringstown booked their place in the final for the first time at a venue which is still to be confirmed.