Only 32 overs were bowled at Shaw’s Bridge on Saturday and there was no result in the big game of the day between Instonians and Waringstown but there was more entertainment than in games that last the full 100 overs.

Most of it was provided by Shane Dadswell, Instonians’ classy South African professional who was 105 not out from just 59 balls, having plundered eight maximums – most of them lost balls – to go with a more modest five fours, when the rain arrived.

For much of the next three hours, it was a case of will we or won’t we get back on, with only a mizzle delaying proceedings although ultimately the umpires ruled that conditions had not improved enough for a resumption and 45 minutes before the official cut-off, the captains shook hands and agreed to return for a 20-over replay.

With Instonians sitting on 248 for three, Greg Thompson was the most relieved captain although opposite number Nikolai Smith admitted it would not be a formality defending 207 in 20 overs – the DLS target score if the minimum number of overs could have been fitted in – because “it was a good pitch and there were short boundaries”

Indeed, although every captain in the five Premier League games on Saturday who won the toss decided to bowl first, Smith said he would have batted to put the scoreboard pressure on Waringstown, confident that they could have scored 250 in 20 overs.

So when asked to bat first, Smith led by example and from the front with a run-a-ball 56, albeit with just six boundaries. He was happy to watch from the other end, after the loss of Adam Ly and Neil Rock, for much of the 101 runs partnership in just 12 overs, while Dadswell took apart the Waringstown attack.

Despite the speed of his scoring, it was not a violent innings. It was all timing and placement, even the maximums which comfortably cleared the boundary fielders, and while he was there, a second 400+ total this season was easily within reach.

It was though, definitely, a case of you can only hit the bowlers that are in front of you. How different it would have been – probably will be in the replay – if Waringstown had their full attack available.

Graham Hume was on the field but not allowed to bowl by Cricket Ireland, ahead of next month’s T20 internationals against West Indies, Tom Mayes was absent, away with the Ireland squad, and James Mitchell and Ross Allen were on holiday.

It was left to young, inexperienced professional Daniel van der Merwe and 15-year-old Zayan Malik to open the bowling and 17 year-old Jack Snell was first change. In the end, Thompson had to turn to James McCollum as a fourth pace alternative and he was rewarded with Smith’s wicket, a nip-backer which trapped the captain plumb in front.

It was their last success and with Dadswell in full flow, McCollum ended up going at more than 10 runs an over and the other five bowlers all went at over six.

But none of the action will go into the NCU records and it will be a fresh start with the points still at stake when the teams meet again.

For now though, Instonians remain joint top of the Premier League with four wins out of four and Waringstown in third with three out of four, and everyone takes a break next weekend for the second round of the Challenge Cup.