A superb unbroken partnership of 137 between Michael Rippon and captain CJ van der Walt delivered Carrickfergus a vital victory in their battle to get out of the bottom four and dealt a blow to Lisburn in their defence of the Premier League.
The champions’ only consolation was that Waringstown and Instonians also lost yesterday as Derriaghy claimed their first win on their return to the top flight and Cliftonville Academy, after a number of near misses this season shocked in-form Instonians.
Woodvale just failed to complete a clean sweep of victories for the current bottom four, denied by a last wicket stand of 43 between Civil Service North teenagers James West and Finn Lutton who got their side home with one ball to spare in the most dramatic of finishes at Stormont.
Carrick were second favourites throughout most of their game at Middle Road with Lisburn piling up 294 for six after a unbeaten century from Neil Whitworth and 92 from Faiz Fazal. But the real impetus came from Ireland international Matthew Humphreys, with the bat, as he hammered 57 from just 26 balls with five fours and four sixes as the visitors scored 100 off the last eight overs.
But Carrick always had the run rate under control and even when they lost their fourth wicket in the 33rd over, it was still at eight an over. Rippon was the backbone, finishing on 112 not out but it was van der Walt who led the charge to the winning post with 71 from 54 balls (eight fours and two sixes) and in the end Carrick eased home with seven balls to spare.
An under-strength Waringstown side were exposed by Derriaghy at the Lawn with professional Patrick Kruger adding another 90 runs to his impressive runs tally for the season and this time he was on the winning side.
While Greg Thompson was in the middle, Waringstown always had a chance but Curtis Moorhead had him caught for 69 (from 40 balls) and after that the Villagers, chasing 290 for victory, lost their remaining five wickets for just 15 runs and defeat by 57.
Cliftonville Academy hit the Instonians attack for 280 with professional Abhishek Raut and Jared Wilson scoring 216 of the runs. Raut hit a run-a-ball 121 and Wilson fell five short of his century after a stand of 198 for the fourth wicket.
This time the CA bowlers backed up their batters with Raut and Ben Kane sharing seven of the wickets as Instonians were bowled out in the 44th over for 224, Daniel Rose giving them a late scre with a half-century.
CSN’s dramatic victory – they still needed six of the last over – propelled them into a six-way tie at the top of the table, leaving the bottom four still eight points adrift with just three rounds to go before the split.
North Down missed the chance to be the outright leaders after defeat by CIYMS in the biggest win of the day at Belmont.
A century from Ani Chore helped North Down to total 253 but Jason van der Merwe matched him run for run to also finish on 104, and a vastly superior rate. The CIYMS batsman faced only 64 balls and hit nine fours and eight sixes and although he was dismissed 10 runs short of victory, Tryon Koen saw them home with an unbeaten 54