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Max Sorensen took six wickets and Fintan McAllister made 92 as the Lightning and Knights played out a draw on the final day of the Hanley Energy Championship match at Stormont, with a rain-effected first day proving costly to both sides.
Max Sorensen struck early on the final day to remove Jordan McClurkin to give the Lightning hope that a result would be probable on the final day, but James Shannon and James Cameron-Dow provided stern resistance and tested the patience of the Lightning as they crept towards 200 in the morning session.

Shannon made a patient and much needed 68 from almost 200 deliveries before he was eventually out LBW to Sorensen, his sixth wicket of the innings. Cameron-Dow, without the more experienced batter with him lasted barely an over more before he too was out leaving the Knights agonisingly short of a second batting point on 193 all out.

With lunch taken at the innings break the Lightning started the afternoon session with a slender lead of 12 runs, Anderson and McAllister opening the innings once again.

The pair batted well together, once again Anderson scoring more freely than the patient McAllister as the Lightning slowly went about building a lead. When Anderson fell for 38 after forging a 70-run partnership with McAllister John Mooney came to the crease and accelerated proceedings hitting 67 in 80 balls as he and McAllister added 133 runs in just over 20 overs of the afternoon.

As time faded away and the chances of a result seemed to wane, with neither side, Lightning in particular with a game in hand, desperate not to lose the match, it seemed the focus turned to McAllister as he neared his century.

The Malahide batter had made 90 for the Lightning earlier in the season, and seemed to be on his way to three figures when part time bowler Rassie van der Dussen accounted for both Mooney and McAllister in the same over, with McAllister 8 runs short of his century, out caught behind for 92.

The final few overs of the day after those dismissals had an air of the inevitable about them, as with no result possible the captains shook hands and agreed on a draw as soon as the final hour of play started, with the Lightning finishing the day 209-4.

Northern Knights v Leinster Lightning – Hanley Energy Inter-Provincial Championship Result
Match Drawn
Leinster Lighting 205 (Anderson 60, Singh 55; Getkate 3-41, Cameron-Dow 3-35) & 209-4 (McAllister 92, Mooney 67; van der Dussen 2-2)
drew with
Northern Knights 193 (Shannon 68, Dougherty 37; Sorensen 6-34)

Yes
Connaught