LEINSTER LIGHTNING STRIKE ONCE MORE

It's three from three for the Sherwin O'Riordan Leinster Lightning, as another wide-margin victory helped them to the top of the table after the opening 'series' of IP50 fixtures.

The Lightning's final home game of the IP50 season started with losing the toss and being asked to bat first by the Warriors, as there was a late change to the hosts' team, with Tim Tector replaced after the toss due to some major confusion surrounding him needing to sit an examination.

This meant that Rush's Nasir Totakhil moved in at the top of the order, and alongside Chris de Freitas the pair added 43 for the first wicket, before the stand-in opener was dismissed for 21. This started a flurry of wickets for Ryan Macbeth, as the Lightning fell to 57/4.

De Freitas was the man who remained resolute throughout that onslaught however, and after a mini-recovery saw him and David Delany (16) take the score to 90, he then added a partnership of 74 alongside Gavin Hoey before the latter was dismissed for 28.

Barry McCarthy then came to the crease and was once again proving to be the man for a tough situation, adding 85 alongside de Freitas and seeing the opener through to three figures from 131 balls. McCarthy was then the man to take the game to the Warriors, striking two fours and three maximums on his way to a 27-ball 37, which thrusted the Lightning into the box-seat.

De Freitas carried his bat right to the end, eventually finishing unbeaten on 142 from 155 deliveries, including exactly 100 runs in boundaries featuring 19 fours and four sixes.

The Warriors began in what has become a typically sedate manner for them this season, with 63 from former Lightning player Andy Balbirnie proving to be a real thorn in the side early on, however it was the consistent wickets which kept the home side well ahead of the game, as one wicket for each of Moondra, Wilson and Delany cracked the door open.

Two wickets apiece for the spin of Gavin Hoey and Nasir Totakhil turned the screw, before Andy McBrine launched a fightback, passing 50 in the 47th over and keeping his side in with half a squeak. The home side however kept plugging, eventually dismissing McBrine for 64 to secure a 44 run win for the Lightning, and three from three in the IP50 tournament.