Holywood, the big favourites, won the Women’s Challenge Cup final with a 244 runs victory over Instonians at Stormont, the two professionals outclassing the amateurs from Shaw’s Bridge.

To be fair to the rest of the Holywood team, the other six batters used in their mammoth total of 297 for six scored 45 runs which was four more than the 11 Instonians batters and Erin Bond, Nina Kerr and Alexis MacDonald then shared eight of the wickets.

But this game was always going to be about how many Madison Landsman and Lara Maritz would score and batting first, after winning the toss, they duly showed their class.

Captain Landsman scored 117 from 63 balls, hitting 18 fours and four sixes, and Maritz chipped in with 86 from 57, which included 13 fours and two sixes. Their partnership for the second wicket, after Anna Ellerby had bowled Erin Bond for 12, was worth 150 in 14 overs.

Madison Landsman was POTM (NCU X)

Matilda McCartney had the honour of dismissing Landsman with the first ball of her second spell and Emily Wilson was rewarded for an impressive six overs with the wicket of Maritz.

The difference in class, once the big two were out was highlighted by Sanvi Vinothkumar’s bowling figures. After being hit for 73 in her first four overs, she had figures of one for 12 in her final two. Holywood scored 35 for four in the last 40 balls after Maritz’s dismissal.

Natalie Moore, who bowled a maiden to Maritz, followed up with a wicket maiden in the 29^th over and finished with figures of one for 38.  

With such a total on the board, Landsman didn’t bowl and Maritz was taken off after three overs, although she did get the wicket of Lana Watt. 

Only Ellerby, with 17, made double figures for Instonians and MacDonald wrapped up the innings in the 12^th over by taking the last three wickets in four balls.