Waringstown’s weekend to remember with double delight

The two wins were different in nature; a more fighting, gritty display needed on a seamer-friendly wicket at Ballygomartin Road on Saturday – a tough test the Villagers came through after being reduced to 48/3 in the first innings.

Graham Hume (42) top-scored as they pushed their way up to 182 all out and it was the South African all-rounder that helped put Woodvale in all sorts of trouble as they went from 17-0 to 17-3 in a rain-affected contest.

Ruhan Pretorius – who scored 141 from 64 balls against Carrickfergus on Thursday evening – was again in the runs, striking 75 before he was the seventh wicket to fall and with his dismissal Waringstown knew they had all but sealed the four points, eventually winning by 16 runs (DLS).

Yesterday’s 25-run triumph over North Down at The Lawn was the most significant result of the weekend - helping to open up a 12-point gap between them and the Comber outfit in second.

The home side were always comfortable as James McCollum (31) hit six boundaries in his 19-ball stay at the crease before he was trapped lbw by Ryan Haire (3-26).

Andre Malan (50) – going past 50 for a seventh time in 13 innings – and Greg Thompson (29) carried on in an attacking nature and there are arguably no two better men to have in the middle to continue upping the run-rate.

Thompson, who scored his runs from 16 balls, would depart first as he was caught by Alistair Shields off the bowling of Andrew Haire (2-22) before the North Down skipper combined with Ryan Haire to get rid of Malan.

Waringstown went from 124-2 to 149-7, which would have filled the visitors full of hope but captain Lee Nelson (33* from 15) ensured he gained the momentum back for his side with five boundaries and pushed them up to 174/7 in 20 overs.

Aniruddha Chore (19) departed early when he was caught off the bowling of Hume (2-26) but Shields (36) and overseas professional Gayan Maneeshan (26) put on 36 for the second-wicket before the latter was bowled by Thompson (3-30).

Thompson also picked up the key wicket of Shields after a fine catch from James Mitchell to leave North Down sitting on 92-4 and just like their opponents, they lost a cluster of wickets and fell to 112-8.

Ryan Haire completed a superb all-round performance by striking 48* from 27 balls – including four sixes – but North Down finished on 149 all out and now will have their work cut out to stop Waringstown picking up another league title.

There were also league wins for CSNI who beat Lisburn by 69 runs (DLS) on Saturday with Stuart Thompson (92) and Gary Wilson (55) helping the Stormont side post 287 all out before Ben Mackey (5-61) took a maiden top-flight five-wicket haul to complete a routine victory.

Lisburn were again on the losing side the following day in a Twenty20 clash with CIYMS as the Gallagher Challenge Cup champions ran out victors by a margin of 36 runs after John Matchett scored 78 in a total of 183/5.

Graham Kennedy (4-11) produced yet another superb performance with the ball as the visitors were reduced to 44-6 before Matthew Humphreys (52) pushed Lisburn up to 147/8 alongside Mark Berry (34).

Elsewhere over the weekend schedule, NCU Twenty20 Cup champions Carrickfergus missed out on a place in the All-Ireland Twenty20 Cup final after losing to Brigade by six wickets in a tense semi-final affair at Middle Road.

Batting first, Carrick posted 146/5 with Jeremy Lawlor (53) leading the way and he shared a third-wicket partnership of 88 with CJ van der Walt (23).

Graeme McCarter (1-26) picked up an early wicket in Carrick’s defence but Brigade skipper Andy Britton (42*) held his nerve to book the North West side’s place in the final with four balls to spare, where they will take on Munster champions Cork Harlequins.

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