Leinster do the double

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Leinster Lightning retained the Test Triangle InterProvincial 50-Over Cup with a 62- run (DLS) win away to the North West Warriors on Tuesday.

Three days after leading his club to national T20 glory, YMCA’s Jack Tector struck a masterful unbeaten 76 to lead the Lightning to further provincial silverware.

A first wicket partnership of 132 with Kevin O’Brien (51) meant that when the forecast rain duly arrived to wipe out the rest of the day’s play, the Lightning were comfortably ahead of the DLS par score and won by 62-runs.

Aware of the impending weather, captain George Dockrell had opted to bowl first on winning the toss early on Tuesday morning.

Peter Chase, who has been in fine form all this representative summer, backed up his skipper with the wicket of William Porterfield (14) and going for just 15 runs across his five overs up front.

Rory Anders and Curtis Campher kept the pressure on early on, but the real squeeze came during the middle overs of spin from Dockrell and Simi Singh.

Bowling in tandem for 14 overs, the Warriors lost three wickets in that period, only scored 30 runs, and found themselves 93/4 after 29 overs.

Graham Hume (36) and Graham Kennedy (46) put on 58 for the sixth wicket as the Warriors attempted to counterattack. However, it was Curtis Campher (4-46) who ensured the Lightning maintained the momentum into the second innings.

Returning to bowl the death overs, Campher removed both Hume and Kennedy, before bowling Young with the last ball of the innings to restrict the home side to 205/8 off their allocation.

Tector and O’Brien eased into the chase, making just 37 in the first 10 overs. However, it was Tector who was to hit the accelerator first, he went to his half-century off 57 balls with five boundaries and a six, before the pair brought up the 100-partnership after 20 overs.

Kevin O’Brien was far more circumspect, taking 75 balls to go his half-century, before falling looking to cut Andy McBrine.

Just four balls later, the umpires took the players from the field with the Lightning 136/1 and far ahead on DLS.

So far ahead were the Lightning that when no play was possible, the bonus-point victory was assured and retention of the Test Triangle InterProvincial 50-Over Cup.

Test Triangle Interprovincial 50-Over Cup
Bready CC, Magheramason
North West Warriors v Leinster Lightning, Tuesday September 22nd

North West Warriors 205/8 50 Overs (G Kennedy 46, W Smale 45; C Campher 4-46, G Dockrell 2-28)

Leinster Lightning 136/1 26.5 Overs (J Tector 76*, K O’Brien 51)

Leinster Lightning won by 62 runs by DLS