After taking over the captaincy, Shane Dadswell said Instonians “should be feared” as they bid to make it back-to-back Premier League wins. After trouncing title rivals Lisburn by 180 runs at Wallace Park, they moved clear into second place, just one win behind Waringstown and backed up their skipper’s confident statement in emphatic style.

Dadswell led from the front with the bat, again, but as requested, his team-mates backed him up with Cade Carmichael and Andrew White also scoring 50s and Nikolai Smith, Cian Robertson, George Craigan, David Agnew and Ben Rose all topping 20.

Indeed, after White and Dadswell were dismissed by Lisburn captain Neil Whitworth in the space of five balls, to leave Instonians 222 for five, it looked as if 300 would be a respectable total. But their strength in depth, in evidence against Waringstown in their defeat at The Lawn earlier in the month, again came to the fore and batters six to nine added 144 from the last 18 overs.

Defending 366 was always likely to be a formality, against a side without Ross Adair and Ben Calitz and although Dadswell’s first two overs cost 28 runs, the captain hit back with two wickets in his next two overs and conceded just 13 in the remaining four overs of his spell.

Robertson and White maintained the pressure but it was teenager David Agnew who was the most successful bowler, finishing with four wickets.

The significant team news for Instonians was the return of Smith, back in the ranks after leading the team to two Premier League titles in three years and also in his old role as an opening bat. He confidently cut his first ball to get off the mark but had to survive a missed return catch in the second over before going on to hit four boundaries in a 22-ball innings of 24; he was stumped off a wide. Instonians are definitely stronger for his presence in the team.

Sully Gould had scored 182 in his previous innings but this one lasted only five balls, caught on the boundary to give Whitworth his second wicket.

The only disappointment of the innings was that Carmichael (62), White (56) and Dadswell (71) were all out soon after bringing up their 50s,  the captain almost immediately after hitting Walsh for three successive sixes.

No matter, the runs continued to flow and Robertson (31 off 37 balls), Craigan (46 off 29), Agnew (31 off 25) and Rose (29 off 17) with a combined eight sixes and eight fours, put the champions out of sight.

Victory over North Down on Sunday would draw them level with Waringstown, albeit having played a game more.

As for Lisburn, the only good news for them was the arrival of Jude Markham, signed in the winter from Donaghcloney Mill but visa difficulties delayed his return from South Africa until last Wednesday.

With 21 from 16 balls he ensured a fast start and his partnership with Ross Adair should be fun to watch. However, only David Miller and James Hunter of the other batters got past 15 and the result was never in doubt.

Lisburn were handicapped from the very first over when Nigel Jones twisted his ankle so badly that he could not bowl another over – ominously he heard a crack so, although he completed the match and batted, Lisburn will be anxiously awaiting the result of any x-ray.

It meant Harry Walker, promoted from the Seconds, had to bowl his extra overs and he did not let the side down, trapping Carmichael lbw with a nip backer in his first over and later had Robertson caught in the deep.

Although it was only their second defeat of the season, the no result against North Down, for two postponements, looks like being a fatal blow to their title hopes and maximum points from their double header against Muckamore and Woodvale next weekend are now a must to keep interest alive after the split.