Waringstown would have preferred to win their Challenge Cup game against Muckamore on the field – rather than the consequences of a broken printer - but it probably wouldn’t have changed the result.

This was the first time that Greg Thompson had an almost full strength bowling attack available – only the holidaying Ross Allen was absent – with Tom Mayes and James Cameron-Dow back from Ireland duty and Graham Hume finally allowed to bowl. Add on Daniel van der Merwe and James Mitchell plus Thompson himself, and he had a luxury of riches before Josh Froggatt or the recently reliable Adam Dennsion were even needed.

But all he, and the spectators at Moylena, saw on Saturday was Hume bowling three overs for 14 runs and Mayes, arguably the best bowler in the NCU at the moment, 2.3 overs for just five runs. Then came the rain – and the start of Muckamore’s problems.

Rules state that if the second innings is interrupted and the overs reduced, a DLS print-out must be provided once the match resumes. After a 50-minute delay, the umpires said the game could continue, with Muckamore on 24 for no wicket, at 5.20pm, with their revised target 266 in 36 overs. But the home side could not get their printer to work, no DLS sheet could be produced, so they had to forfeit the match.

It’s not the first time that Waringstown have been involved in a Challenge Cup game which was settled ‘off the pitch’. Four years ago, the Villagers beat Derriaghy but were kicked out of the competition because Johnny Bushe had not been registered in time to play in the Cup.

This time it was an embarrassing exit for Muckamore, in their first game in the competition since their never-to-be-forgotten Cup final success against Lisburn last August – their first major trophy outright for 61 years.

It had started with a new captain, Neil Gill taking up the reins again after the sudden resignation of Sathish Suresh, winning the toss and asking Waringstown to bat, presumably because of the uncertain weather.

It did not work out well as Waringstown raced along at five runs an over from the start and by the end were nearing sevens.

It was 17-year-old Luca Bates who broke the opening stand, having Adam Dennison caught behind in his second over and opening partner Sam Topping was brilliantly held by Gill in the 15th over, in Suresh’s first over.

But the launch pad had been set and although Matthew Halliday, caught at deep mid-wicket and Hume, bowled by Jason van der Merwe, did not last long, it has been the middle-order that has been Waringstown’s batting powerhouse this season.

Again it did not disappoint and, led by Thompson himself, he put on 86 with Morgan Topping (42) and 77 with Mayes (48) who was caught behind at the end of the 44th over.

By  this stage the game had been reduced to 48 overs and with Thompson hitting top gear, Waringstown added another 47 in the remaining four overs, the captain run out off the last ball for 114, from just 77 balls with 17 fours and two sixes.

It could have been different if Muckamore had not spilled two straightforward catches, when Morgan Topping was on 12 and Thompson on 63 but that wouldn’t be the Moylena’s last crucial mistakes on the day.

Mayes ended up with an even better strike rate than his skipper, he faces just 29 balls and hit four sixes and he is now setting the standard for all-rounders in the NCU, not just bowling.

Gill, who admitted it wouldn’t have been the team he would have selected – although he had no choice having been thrust back into the job only on Thursday night – was also handicapped by 17-year-old Bates being allowed to bowl only six overs in a row, so by the time he came back Thompson and Morgan Topping were well into their stride.

Unfazed, he conceded only three runs in his comeback over and after conceding a four to Topping in his next, he got his revenge next ball by having him lbw.

Gill, comfortably his side’s most economical bowler, surprisingly did not bowl his last three overs although it was not a surprise that professional Randeera Ranasinge only bowled seven, having already been hit for 66 runs.

It’s back to (midweek) league action for both teams this week, with their rearranged postponed Match 2 games going ahead on Thursday, with Muckamore at North Down and Waringstown at Instonians.