LEINSTER LIGHTNING duly completed a 157 run win against the Northern Knights with just over an hour to spare on the third day of their Newstalk Inter-Provincial clash at College Park.
Three wickets apiece from Eddie Richardson (3-24) and Albert van der Merwe (3-35) helped Lightning to the hard-fought win as both James Shannon (27) and David Simpson (24*) battled hard, but ultimately in vain to earn a draw for the Knights.
Their best chance of surviving 98 overs chasing an unlikely 334 to win, lay with opener Nick Larkin, but for the second time in the game, the North Down man ran himself out, following a mix-up with Lee Nelson.
Larkin had scored 247 against the same opposition in this competition last year, and his dismissal for 40 gave Lightning a tremendous boost shortly after lunch.
James Shannon batted a marathon 149 balls for his 27, but his dismissal by Van Der Merwe was quickly followed by that of Mark Adair to bring last man James Cameron-Dow to the crease.
It was perhaps fitting that the coup de grace was applied by Andrew Poynter, the stand-out batsman in the game with two fluent half centuries. James Cameron-Down sportingly walked after a fine edge to wicket-keeper Fintan McAllister.
The win sees Lightning extend their lead to 20 points ahead of the Knights, ahead of their home clash with NW Warriors at the same venue in two weeks time.
NEWSTALK INTER-PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP
At College Park, Trinity, Day 3 close
LEINSTER LIGHTNING 290/9 dec and 187/6 dec (56.5 overs, A Poynter 62, Simmi Singh 48, Pat Collins 41, Imad Wasim 2-21, M Adair 2-31)
NORTHERN KNIGHTS 144 all out and 176 all out (81.1 overs, N Larkin 40, J Shannon 27, D Simpson 24, S Getkate 21, E Richardson 3-24, A van der Merwe 3-35)
Leinster Lightning (23 points) beat Northern Knights (4 points) by 157 runs