Laurelvale knew it was going to be a difficult season on their return to the top flight of NCU cricket and in their first away Premier League game they were no match even for a vastly under-strength Lisburn side.

No fewer than six first-team regulars were missing but Johnny Waite took his chance at the top of the order and David Simpson was given the chance to play for a 24th season – and take a wicket, from the David Simpson End, of course.

The star of the show was David Miler, after getting back the gloves in the absence of Ben Caltiz, who like Mark Adair was ruled out because he was heading to Dublin on Sunday for the Emerald Challenge, hit 72 from 59 balls with five fours and five sixes.

 He was caught behind in the 17th over but with 130 runs on the board, in pursuit of a revised victory target of 158, in 31 overs, the job was virtually done.

James Hunter was caught on the boundary before Ewan Wilson hit the winning boundary in the next over – with captain Neil Whitworth not even required to put on his pads.

Although they didn’t bat or bowl, there was a first team debut for 14-year-old Callum Lowe and a return to the first team for Ethan Booth, great experience for both and likely to get a few more run-outs before the season is out.

Off spinner Ben Walsh, newly arrived from Instonians, and sure of getting many more overs than he would have done at Shaw’s Bridge, sent down nine overs and had the satisfaction of claiming two wickets without the help of an outfielder.

Simpson had started the ball rolling – as if he had never missed the last two seasons – with a wicket, the 363rd of his career, from his fourth ball, nipping one back to have Adnan Malik plumb lbw and Whitworth also make a breakthrough in his second over. By the time he introduced himself, Laurelvale were in protection mode, looking to play out the overs after they had lost their top five batters by the end of the 16th over.

Adam Speers had given Laurelvale an attacking start, happy to play all his shots and was rewarded with nine boundaries before he nicked off against Ewan Wilson, having made 48 from 46 balls.

Long-serving captain David Sinton faced 15 more balls for 20 runs less but showed all his experience to frustrate the Lisburn bowlers and with Michael Burns had faced 62 balls in an unbroken sixth wicket partnership of 29 when the rain cut short their innings after 31 overs.

A three-hour stoppage, allowed anyone who was interested to watch the FA Cup final and although there wasn’t time for Laurelvale to resume their innings, once the rain had stopped, Lisburn had the same number in their reply.

Kurshid Subhani must have enjoyed his first two overs, conceding only one run against the big hitting Waite and Miller but that all changed in his third over when Waite took 18 off it (three fours and a six) and at the other end Miller took a liking to Speers, helping himself to 19  with two sixes and a four. It left Lisburn on 62 after eight overs and the batters had the momentum.

First change Babar Khan cut short the partnership at 102 uprooting the stumps of Waite, one short of his half century, but after hitting eight fours and two sixes he left the field to cries of ‘Oh Johnny, Johnny”.

Miller brought up his 50 from 43 balls and seemed intent on finishing the job but Sinton found the edge of his bat and the captain followed up with Hunter’s wicket in what proved to be the penultimate over.

It was all too little but it’s another top flight game under their belts and another valuable 50+ overs of experience which will only improve as the season progresses. Frustration may be Laurelvale’s ultimate aim in most contests but it could lure some opponents into complacency.

Following the loss of their popular professional and both opening bowlers, it is set to be a year of transition for Lisburn and they may need their international stars available to confirm a top three place. Certainly, their bowling attack on Saturday would have been more exposed against a better batting line-up. They will all be missing again next week so they will be thankful it is Cliftonville Academy who are the next visitors to The Park.