There was just one league match in the Billy Henderson Properties championship but what a game it turned out to be as Fox Lodge and Strabane served up close to 600 runs with the champions claiming the honours in the final over.

Darryl Brown's unbeaten 113 backed up by a swashbuckling 66 from Graeme McCarter helped the Foxies to a daunting 290 for 6 in their 50 overs; Phil Eaglestone picking up 3 wickets and Mark Gillespie 2 for the visitors.

With the label champions comes a certain amount of responsibility however and Strabane handed their neighbours a lesson in closing out tight matches. Niall McDonnell's century at the top of the order paved the way for Strabane's fightback and overseas man Beukes matched his opposite number Brown almost run for run as he set up a stirring finale.

Mark Roulston's cameo put Strabane on the verge with a quick-fire 25 before Tommy Barr clubbed the winning boundary with just three balls left.

A magnificent advertisement for North West cricket this with the Red Caps showing that they won't be giving up their trophy without a real scrap.

There is sure to be a plethora of league action now over the coming days and weeks as the focus returns to league matters and a chance for clubs to try to catch up after that draining recent cup schedule.