John Glass produced one of the most remarkable performances in the history of NCU finals after scoring 36 off the last over to secure the LVS Twenty20 Trophy for Ballymena against Cregagh on Thursday evening.

Heading into the final over of the game, Ballymena required 35 for victory and Glass knew there was only one way he could fire his side to glory.

Under the pressure of the situation and in front of a healthy crowd at Gibson Park, Glass – who was deputising as captain in place of the unavailable Jack Gibson – produced a stunning innings that he, and everyone in attendance, will never forget.

He ended on 87* as Ballymena won by three wickets and somehow ran out victors in a match that they were second favourites in for 39.5 overs.

Earlier in the evening, Cregagh captain Aaron Johnston elected to bat after winning the toss and his decision was immediately justified by an opening partnership between Jay Hunter (40) and Jonny Moore (52).

They looked comfortable from early on, rotating strike while taking the boundary option when they could before accelerating just after the halfway point of the innings.

Moore struck consecutive sixes in the 11th over and shortly after was raising his bat to a loud round of applause from home support after reaching a half-century from 46 balls.

He departed shortly after – a first of three wickets for the impressive Sam Glass – and the left-arm spinner went on to pick up a hat-trick as he dismissed Hunter and then bowled captain Aaron Johnston.

The opening partnership was worth 101 but the home side suddenly found themselves 116-4 in the 17th over due to some tight Ballymena bowling.
They would have been targeting closer to the 180 mark at one point but ended on 147-7 with Peter Bristow also picking up 2-32.

Ballymena got off to a solid start through James Kennedy (10) and Michael Glass (18) but pressure from the Cregagh bowlers began to tell and the former was well caught trying to go big off Ross Boultwood.

They could never get a partnership of any note going and when Glass departed following a couple of lovely strokes to the boundary through cover, it looked like it would be an uphill task for the visitors.

John Glass didn't read that script though and almost single-handedly dragged his side over the line, recovering from 75-6 in the 16th over to lifting the trophy a matter of minutes later.

It has left many on social media wondering if hitting six sixes to win a final has ever happened before…do you know the answer?

LVS T20 Trophy Man of the Match winner John Glass

John Glass and NCU President Roger Bell

LVS T20 Trophy Winners 2021 - Ballymena

(Photos courtesy of David McCormick-Pacemaker Press)

Score Summary
Cregagh 147-7 (J Moore 52, J Hunter 40, S Glass 3-5 inc hat trick, P Bristow 2-32)
Ballymena 148-7 (J Glass 87no, C Shannon 3-17, R Boultwood 2-4)
Ballymena beat Cregagh by 3 wickets

Lagan Valley Steels Twenty20 Trophy