KNIGHTS LYNCHED BY LIGHTNING
Leinster Lightning vs Northern Knights, Stormont
Leinster Lightning 353/9 in 50 overs (Seamus Lynch 107, David Delany 76, Chris de Freitas 59)
Northern Knights 183 all out in 30.2 overs (Gavin Hoey 6-26, Mikey O’Reilly 1-25, Fionn Hand 1-20, Simi Singh 1-37)
Leinster Lightning win by 170 runs
The last IP50 match of the Leinster Lightning season saw them start the day needing a bonus point win to have an outside chance of winning the title and thanks to a spectacular century from Seamus Lynch that is exactly what they achieved.
Choosing to bat first the Lightning top order did not have things all their own way and at 47-4 there was some rebuilding to do. Chris de Freitas batted sensibly putting on partnerships with George Dockrell and David Delany to get them to 154-6 but it was only when Seamus Lynch joined Delany did things start to move Lightning’s way.
A 7th wicket partnership of 150 in only 17.3 overs saw spectacular batting from both batters. Lynch reached his century off 59 balls and went on to 107 off 64 balls (8 fours and 8 sixes), his maiden List A century. At 59 balls this was the fastest ever century in the IP50 tournament.
Leinster Lightning would have been the much happier team at the break and knew that they needed to bowl the Knights out for 252 or fewer to take the Bonus Point.
The talents of Paul Stirling at the top of the order are well known and the success of the task would very much depend on how he did. Mikey O’Reilly was the first to strike, having Ross Adair bowled in his third over. Unfortunately, he picked up an injury shortly afterwards and was forced to leave the field.
Stirling was looking dangerous and well set on 66 when he was well caught on the boundary by Sam Harbinson off the bowling of Simi Singh. His departure gave the Lightning the opening they needed and Gavin Hoey took firm advantage.
Seven overs straight through from Hoey brought him 6-26 as he ripped the heart out of the Knights middle and late order. This was the best ever bowling spell in the IP50 tournament since it started in 2013.
Knights were dismissed for 183 in 30.2 overs and the 170 run win gave Leinster Lightning a bonus point and put them back on top of the competition table.
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Thanks also to James Sherwin and David O’Riordan at Sherwin O’Riordan Solicitors for their sponsorship and support of our men’s List A cricket programme. We are pleased to confirm that our partnership with Sherwin O’Riordan will extend to include the 2024 season.