Lisburn charge on at the top of the Premier League and are the first team to guarantee their place in the top six when the split comes in two rounds time.

A sixth win of the season proved one of the easiest of the lot as they dismissed Woodvale – who have top six pretentions themselves – for 78.

On a day when the rain – which prevented any play in yesterday’s T20 inter-provincial festival at Bready - interrupted every game in the top flight, Lisburn recovered from losing both openers with just three runs on the board to post 174 for nine in their 45 overs.

David Miller, with 48 from 56 balls and David Simpson, with 36 from No 9, were the top scorers but it was the bowlers who won the match as Woodvale crumbled. They also lost early wickets, Mark Berry taking three as the visitors collapsed to 14 for four but there was no recovery here with only Carl Robinson, in a 67-ball innings of 36, providing any resistance.

The most important game of the day was at Middle Road were Carrickfergus and Civil Service North started the day on the dotted line which will separate the six fighting for the championship and the four bidding to avoid the drop.

It is Carrickfergus who are above it this morning after an exciting 12 runs victory with the difference almost exactly the runs scored by the clubs’ two professionals.

Jacques Snyman won that battle with 113 from just 61 balls with nine fours and six sixes while Troy Johnson could only reply with 103 from 74 balls (eight fours and four sixes).

CSN had the advantage of batting second – their target was 223 in 35 overs – after Carrick had hit 279 for seven in their 50 but despite Johnson being last man out, in the final over, they were always just too far behind the run rate.

It was Snyman who then came up trumps with the ball, taking two wickets in his final over as well as running out Harry Dyer when CSN needed 35 from 17 balls.

Three teams are locked together on 20 points – most would call them the big three – and defending champions Waringstown, North Down and CIYMS all won, with some comfort.

Waringstown’s game with Instonians suffered the most with the weather, reduced to 22 overs with the visitors the unlucky side to bat first. They were 63 for two when the downpour arrived after 17.2 overs and they could manage only 24 from the remaining 26 balls.

The Villagers target was upped to 118 but with professional Jamie Gibson continuing his prolific form with the bat – 54 off 50 balls – they won by six wickets with 11 balls to spare.

The two newly promoted sides got a rude awakening in their latest defeats. They just didn’t come up against the class of players like CI professional Keith Dudgeon and North Down’s Neil Brand in Section One and the South Africans dominated their games yesterday.

Dudgeon scored 124 not out against Cliftonville Academy at Belmont with 15 fours and five sixes but opener Chris Dougherty also posted three figures, albeit with just 10 fours and one six in CI’s massive 316 for six in 47 overs.

The visitors were set 277 in 40 overs and thanks to their South African professional Dominic Hendricks with 74 they got past halfway, before being bowled out for 155.

Cregagh posted their highest total of their maiden Premier League campaign, 196 for eight in just 43 overs, but North Down reached their target of 165 in 32 with 28 balls to spare.

Brand hit 75 from 63 balls with nine fours and two sixes and shared a second wicket stand of 126 with Ani Chore who showed a return to form with 53.

Craig Boultwood had carried the Cregagh innings with an unbeaten 52 and he received good support from the returning Johnny Moore with a run-a-ball 40.