Waringstown and Instonians locked at summit as duo back up Cup wins with League triumphs

Belfast Telegraph

3 days ago

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 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 2025 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.
Waringstown kept pace with Instonians thanks to an emphatic seven-wicket win at Cliftonville Academy in a match reduced to 25 overs.
Abhishek Raut hit 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 and North Down shared a dramatic tie in a see-saw game at Ballygomartin Road – a result that saw both happy to get something from the match in the end.
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 Zara Khan (49 not out).
Some 17 were still needed from the last two overs when last man Anek Anil joined Khan, but they chipped away 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.
Meanwhile, in the North West, there was a real shock as leaders Donemana lost by 42 runs to bottom side Bready in a rearranged game.
David Rankin top-scored with 64 as Bready posted 194 for seven – four wickets for Jordan McGonigle, who came out of retirement to compensate for Andy McBrine's unavailability.
Teenager Travis Faulkner took three wickets as the League leaders slumped to 62 for seven, and although they rallied with runs for brothers Billy (38) and DJ Dougherty (28), Faulkner returned to claim his fourth in a victory that lifted Bready off the bottom of the table.