Stunning performance from Ruhan Pretorius helps Woodvale maintain Premier League's top spot

His fourth century of the season, Pretorius struck 14 fours and 10 sixes during a 134-ball stay at the crease to bring his tally for the 2024 campaign to 774 before even entering July.

After Instonians had posted 282, largely thanks to a century on debut from Ireland international Neil Rock (108) and half-century from captain Nikolai Smith (67) – the pair shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 170 – Pretorius entered with Woodvale sitting on 25/2 and was dealt a further blow moments later as overseas professional Ludwig Kaestner was stumped off the bowling of Cian Robertson (4/25).

Pretorius reached 50 from as many balls and moved to 100 from 106 deliveries, but it was from that moment the NCU’s form player began to accelerate, scoring his next 50 runs off just 21 balls.

He’d earlier shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 119 with James Rose (44) and in a seventh-wicket stand of 59 with Paul Robinson, Pretorius struck 49 runs from 19 deliveries.

The 33-year-old finished the job off with five balls to spare, hitting the winning runs off the first delivery of the final over, and is now well on course to pass the 1,000 run mark for a fourth time in nine seasons.

Elsewhere, Adam Dennison also continued his fine campaign for Waringstown by scoring 105* in their comfortable nine-wicket victory over Carrickfergus at The Lawn.

Dennison, who had earlier picked up the two key wickets of Sam Gordon (52) and Ruan Haasbroek (71) to limit Carrick to 229, hit 12 fours on his way to a second league century of the season – only Pretorius (425) can boast a better top-flight return so far in 2024 than the 27-year-old (328).

Ireland international James McCollum (51*) also had an important contribution with the pair sharing an unbeaten second-wicket partnership of 112.

Meanwhile, there was a thrilling finish at Moylena with Muckamore edging past CIYMS by one wicket after Curtis Moorhead (22*) and Pavan Karthik (20*) shared a final-wicket partnership of 40.

With the hosts sitting on 85/8 in an attempted chase of 149 for victory, the situation looked dire for Neil Gill’s side, but Shane Henderson (24) provided a late spark before Moorhead and Karthik dragged their team over the line as they moved into fifth.

Lisburn remain Woodvale’s closest challengers at the top as Faiz Fazal (84) starred in their 54-run win over Cliftonville Academy at Wallace Park.

Making his club debut after a winter switch from CIYMS, Ireland international Mark Adair (30) hit three sixes in his 21-ball stay at the crease while James Hunter (33) and Nigel Jones (32) produced important contributions as the hosts reached 258.

Captain Neil Whitworth (3/50) picked up the crucial wicket of Abhishek Raut (60) as Cliftonville Academy collapsed from 163/4 to 165/8 before Ryan MacBeth (3/23) rounded out proceedings.

Elsewhere, Aniruddha Chore (70*) and Stephen Saul (57*) both scored half-centuries as North Down picked up a six-wicket victory over CSNI at The Green.

Colin Archibald (45) and Harry Dyer (44) led the way as CSNI were bowled out for 179 before the hosts chased the total with 11 overs to spare.