Leinster Lightning only required half of the final day of play to secure the Hanley Energy Inter-Provincial Championship title as they bowled out the Northern Knights for 202 to secure a 152-run win in their final game.
After the Lightning had performed well on day one, and then took control of the game on day two thanks to a brilliant Fintan McAllister century, the result was almost inevitable, although heading into the final day of play, any of the three teams could have been champions.
The sides were welcomed by the sunshine as they entered the field for the final day of the Hanley Energy Inter-Provincial Championship, with both teams knowing that a win will see them win the Championship. The hopes of the North-West Warriors effectively ended by the good weather, as the chances of a draw after a full day of play were limited.
The Knights probably had the tougher task, needing to score 322 more runs with nine wickets remaining, and the Lightning needing to take nine wickets. An unlikely draw would have been enough to see the Warriors hold on to top spot.
James Cameron-Dow fell early in the day to Max Sorensen (2-53), with Andrew Poynter taking a good catch in the slips bringing in James Shannon, stand-in captain for the Knights, to join Chris Dougherty.
With Lee Nelson replaced by Peter Eakin after picking up an injury on the first morning, the partnership of Dougherty and Shannon was crucial for the Knights and it seemed the Lightning were well aware of this as they set aggressive fields and attacked the pair from the off.
Both looked comfortable and put on 39 runs in ten overs before John Mooney brought himself on to bowl for the first time in the match and found a way through Shannon’s defence, beating the bat and sending the off-stump tumbling back towards the celebrating slip cordon to remove the key man for 19.
Shane Getkate was promoted up the order to number five following his efforts in the first innings, where he top scored with 36, picking up where he left off crashing four boundaries off the bowling of Mooney in his first 12 balls as the Lightning continued to set aggressive fields.
He did not last much longer though as Yaqoob Ali came into the attack and trapped Getkate LBW in his first over for 20 as the Lightning reduced the Knights to 106-4. The wicket of Getkate, or more the introduction spin from both ends, sparked a mini-collapse with Dockrell (2-35) accounting for Shields (1) and Ali getting his second when McClurkin fell without scoring.
The pair continued to apply pressure and Peter Eakin made 10 before he was out LBW trying to sweep Dockrell, Bunting (2) following him back as Ali picked up his third wicked. All the while Chris Dougherty stood watching his partners run out as he approached a well-deserved and patient half century.
When Dougherty became Ali’s fourth victim, trapped LBW for 44 the Lightning already had one hand on the trophy with just Jacob Mulder and Robert McKinley all that stood between them and the title with two sessions still left to play.
With the Knights nine wickets down at the scheduled lunch break the umpires extended the morning sessions by 30 minutes and it took them the whole of that time to get the final wicket as Robert McKinley produced an excellent 43-ball half century, smashing nine fours and a six on his way to 56 before he was given out caught behind down the leg side.
That final wicket was the fifth of the session for Yaqoob Ali, who ended with figures of 5-51 in 10.5 overs as the Knights were bowled out for 202 in their second innings, the Lightning winning by 152 runs to seal the Hanley Energy Inter-Provincial Championship.
Yes
Connaught
