Third XI keep up recent impressive run of results

The fact that the 2nd XI did not have a match meant that they were able to field a particularly strong side, with a good mix of experience and those newer to the game.

Winning the toss, captain Adam Pogue decided to put the youthful looking Instonians side in to bat. This paid dividends early on, with the returning Ally McIlroy taking an early wicket.

The introduction of spin in the form of Ethan Archer and the evergreen Harry Cook caused many problems, with no fewer than 5 catches being dropped. The trend was stopped in breathtaking fashion, when Jamie Smith, in only his second game for the club, taking what can only be described as a world class catch off the bowling of Archer, diving low to his right to take a superb one handed catch.

This led to somewhat of a collapse, with Instonians eventually being bowled out for 93.

Ballymena opened the batting with Jeff Martin and John Nicholl. The wicket had not improved throughout the afternoon, and Nicholl soon departed for 6. This brought Paul Campbell to the crease, who applied himself well alongside Martin, and both played excellent innings - dispatching the bad balls to the boundary and rotating the strike well. Martin finished on 40 not out, and Campbell 38 not out, as Ballymena won by nine wickets.