Warriors Frustrated In The Bready Sunshine

A big Friday night crowd at Bready saw Leinster Lightning claim a dramatic late win over the North West Warriors as this year’s Interprovincial T20 Cup reached the half-way stage.

It was a game the home side dominated for all bar the crucial last half hour, and it sends the holders into next month’s ‘blitz’ at Pembroke in pole position to retain their crown.

Dismissed for just 99 the visitors clawed it back from a seemingly impossible position where the Warriors were 70-2 in reply and yet came up 4 runs short at the end.

Credit the Dubliners’ attack, however- especially Simi Singh and skipper George Dockrell as they really strangled the middle overs to build pressure on the home side’s middle order.

Singh’s 4 overs cost just 8 runs- a pivotal stat in the context of any T2O game while Dockrell’s 3-15 was vital to breaking up the Warriors’ momentum.

Eddie Richardson and Peter Chase picked up a couple of wickets apiece- the latter claiming his pair from the last two deliveries of the match- perfect timing for his team.

William Porterfield (38) top-scored for Ian McGregor’s men and while he was there, the Warriors were favourites, but it wasn’t to be.

Earlier, Leinster’s innings was kept in check by a superb effort by the home side in the field.

Andrew Balbirnie’s 17 was the best of it for Dockrell’s team as Stuart Thompson, and Craig Young claimed two wickets apiece; however, it was Graham Kennedy who stole the show in the first half.

The Ballyspallen teenager claimed 3-15 from his 4-over spell and then ran out the dangerous Kevin O’Brien with a superb direct hit.

Kennedy rounded off a top effort with a brilliant catch to end the Lightning innings, but it was to be in vain as the southerners pulled off their late, late show.