Battling Warriors edged out in Dublin

The season ended in defeat for the Warriors at Malahide on Monday but there were certainly positives for Ian McGregor to take into the winter break.

Conor Olphert marked his first start with an excellent spell of bowling and the Bready pace man was unlucky not to finish with even better figures than his 2-34.

Ross Allen and Varun Chopra also bowled very well as those three and Craig Young threatened to spoil Leinster’s party.

In the end however it was again with the bat that the visitors fell down- only Stuart Thompson (36), Graham Hume (36) (that pair sharing a 67-run fifth wicket stand) and William Porterfield (17) getting into double figures.

With the game having been reduced to 32-overs a side, the Warriors posted a disappointing 132-8, however thanks to a disciplined bowling performance it was nearly enough.

Curtis Campher’s unbeaten 59 held the Lightning’s reply together with wickets tumbling at the other end, but it wasn’t to be.

It’s time to re-group for the North West now, but Ian McGregor will have been delighted to see them at least competing with the champions.

At Malahide, Leinster Lightning beat North West Warriors by 3 wickets

NW Warriors 132-8 (32 overs; G Hume 36, S Thompson 36, S Singh 3-27, J Little 2-22, C Campher 2-23)

Leinster Lightning (set target to win 132) 133-7 (26.2 overs; C Campher 59*, S Doheny 33,C Young 2-30, C Olphert 2-34)