The performance was indeed much-improved but unfortunately the outcome was the same.

The CSNI captain won the toss and decided to make first use of the wicket on a sunny but windy day at Stormont.

Daryl Henry and Brian Vennard opened the bowling for the ’Vale and restricted the home side to just 24 runs in the first 12 overs.

The introduction of Graham Steenson and Graeme Martin kept the scoring under control, to the extent that after 30 overs the hosts had managed just 70 runs with the loss of 2 wickets.

Martin was the successful bowler and he finished his 10-over spell with excellent figures of 2 for 25.

In the early stages, ’Vale captain, Ryan Cornett, had to leave the pitch after suffering a pulled thigh muscle whilst chasing the ball to the boundary.

It was in the final 20 overs of CSNI’s innings that the match was lost, for they added 148 runs to finish on 218 for 7.

Christopher Webb followed up his excellent bowling of the previous week with another good performance. And Brian Vennard bowled with his customary control, picking up a pair of wickets for 22 runs from his 10 overs.

In contrast to CSNI’s opening batsmen, Laurelvale’s Daryl Henry and Wesley Best scored freely, putting on 60 for the first wicket in just 10 overs.

Henry was dismissed having scored 34 and shortly after that Best smashed a delivery straight back at the bowler who somehow managed to hang on to a return catch - saving himself from serious injury in the process - thus reducing the villagers to 69 for 2.

With Best out for 27, Adam Pearson joined his cousin, Scott, at the wicket and together they began to build a partnership which gave the village side hope of pulling off a victory.

The departure of the latter for an excellent 26 however was a serious blow and apart from some resistance from Brian Vennard (16) and David Cree (12) no-one was able to provide the remaining Pearson with the support he needed to see the village side over the finishing line.

Pearson was eventually dismissed for a battling 38 and the final wicket fell on 202, just 16 runs short of the CSNI total.

A much-improved batting performance should give the ’Vale second string confidence going in tomorrow’s cup match with Academy and for the remainder of the league campaign.

CSNI 218 for 7 wickets in 50 overs.

Bowling analysis: Daryl Henry 10, 2, 60, 1; Brian Vennard 10, 4, 22, 2; Graham Steenson 10, 1, 57, 0; Graeme Martin10, 1, 25, 2; Christopher Webb7, 0, 35, 0; Scott Pearson3, 0, 16, 0.

Laurelvale 202 all out.

Scores -

W. Best 27, D. Henry 34, S. Pearson 26, A. Pearson 38, A. McConville 4, G. Martin 0, B. Vennard 16, D. Cree 12, G. Steenson 7, R. Cornett not out 4, C. Webb 0.