Leinster Lightning assumed control on the second day of their Newstalk Inter-Provincial Championship clash at College Park with a thoroughly dominant all-round display.
A superb bowling performance saw the Knights dismissed for 144, just avoiding the follow-on thanks to a last wicket stand of 44 between top scorer Shane Getkate (34) and James Cameron-Dow (17*).
The turning point of the Knights innings was the run out of Nick Larkin (26), who slipped after being sent back by Imad Wasim (26).
The pair had added 50 following the dismissal of Chris Dougherty to the second ball of the day – bowled by John Mooney (2-17).
Larkin’s run out at 61 saw 8 wickets fall for 39 runs, as Max Sorensen (4-34) and Eddie Richardson (3-28) both bowled with great control and discipline to leave the Knights innings in tatters.
Leading by 146, Lightning lost Ben Ackland and Fintan McAllister early to Mark Adair (2-31), but Patrick Collins impressed with a fluent 41 as he and John Anderson (16) added 47 for the third wicket.
Both fell to left-arm spinner Imad Wasim (2-21) and at 77 for 4, the Knights had brought themselves ever so slightly back into contention.
However, an unbroken 5th wicket partnership of 89 between the highly impressive Andrew Poynter (51*), and Simmi Singh (48*) saw Lightning firmly wrestle back the initiative, and with a lead of 312, they will be the strongest of favourites to collect the win on the final day.
NEWSTALK INTER-PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP
At College Park, Trinity, Day 2 close
LEINSTER LIGHTNING 290/9 dec and 166/4 (53 overs, A Poynter 51*, Simmi Singh 48*, Pat Collins 41, Imad Wasim 2-21, M Adair 2-31)
NORTHERN KNIGHTS 144 all out (51.2 overs, S Getkate 34, Imad Wasim 26, Nick Larkin 26, M Sorensen 4-34 , E Richardson 3-28 , J Mooney 2-17)
Leinster Lightning lead by 312 runs
Shane Getkate bowling for the Knights ©INPHO/James Crombie
[2243] Leinster Lightning v Northern Knights Day Two – Newstalk IPC 2014 – leinster-lightning-v-northern-knights-newstalk-ipc-2014
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