NCU cricket fans were treated to an entertaining and action-packed Lagan Valley Steels T20 Finals Day on Sunday at The Lawn, Waringstown. Despite some overnight rain, the Waringstown ground staff worked superbly to ensure the outfield was ready for play, with sunshine breaking through to set the stage for a memorable day of cricket.
Trophy Final: Bangor Clinch Third Successive Title
In the Trophy Final, Bangor continued their remarkable T20 form with a commanding 38-run win over Cregagh, marking their third successive title in LVS T20 competitions.
Cregagh won the toss and opted to bowl first. Opener Sam McMillan anchored the innings with a fluent 62, earning him the Player of the Match award. He was well supported by Ian Butler (21) and Connor Brown (30), helping Bangor reach a competitive total. Cregagh’s Adam McCormick was the standout bowler, finishing with figures of 3-36.
In reply, Cregagh struggled to keep up with the required run rate under consistent pressure from the Bangor bowlers. Robert Moore top-scored with 37, but wickets fell at regular intervals, and Cregagh were eventually restricted to 128-7. Bangor emerged as 38-run winners, a great achievement following their return to Section One.
Cup Final: Instonians Power to Victory
The second final of the day saw a clinical display from the Instonians, who proved too strong for Cliftonville Academy.
Batting first, Instonians piled on the runs, finishing on 219-6 from their 20 overs. A trio of impressive knocks led the charge: Neil Rock (52), Shane Dadswell (58) – whose innings featured some explosive hitting before being run out, and Andrew White (62) with a powerful display of stroke play.
Cliftonville Academy, chasing a daunting target, never got going. Shane Dadswell followed up his batting heroics with the ball, taking 3 wickets for just 4 runs, backed up by Cian Robertson (3-13). Despite a fighting 33* from Jared Wilson, Cliftonville Academy were dismissed for 93, with Instonians sealing a 91-run win via DLS.
Congratulations go to Bangor and Instonians on their impressive victories. The day was a celebration of club cricket at its best – competitive, spirited, and thoroughly enjoyable for players and spectators alike.
A special thank you goes to Waringstown Cricket Club for their outstanding hospitality and ground preparation, and to CricketEurope for their continued coverage of the event. Thanks are also extended to Tommy Anderson of Lagan Valley Steels for his unwavering support of the competition, and to NCU President Bryan Milford for presenting the trophies.
Photos by Barry Chambers