After waiting more than a day and a half to get underway, the Lightning took advantage of winning the toss to bowl the Warriors out for 135 before closing just 86 runs behind with nine wickets in hand.
There was no rain on Tuesday morning, but the previous 48 hours meant that the run-ups and take-off areas, particularly at the Mason Road End of the ground were of real concern.
In the end once the toss took place, Lightning skipper George Dockrell had no hesitation in inserting the home side.
His bowling attack responded magnificently with Simi Singh (3-15) leading the wicket-taking effort that saw Dockrell, Peter Chase and Tyrone Kane take two wickets each.
Kevin O’Brien pitched in with a wicket of his own, while First Class debutant Fionn Hand went wicketless but was very economical conceding just ten runs in his seven overs.
First Class debut for Cormac McLoughlin-Gavin of @thehillscc and his cap was presented by @pembrokecricket's @balbo90 pic.twitter.com/3mFrrhFQxv
— Leinster Lightning (@CL_LLightning) June 18, 2019
The Lightning took wickets at regular intervals and indeed the last wicket was the second biggest partnership after the first wicket stand as Davy Scanlon (21) struck three fours and the innings sole maximum.
The Lightning had 13 overs to negotiate before the close of play and Jack Tector took the field with the second First Class debutant of the day, Cormac McLoughlin-Gavin.
Tector (24) looked as elegant as ever in his shot-making but fell to a brute of a delivery from Craig Young that nipped back through his defences.
Andrew Balbirnie (15*) survived two scares in the slip cordon before the close of play but his innings will continue into the final day. At the other end, McLoughlin-Gavin looked composed and assured and will begin Day 3 unbeaten on 18*.
There are 104 overs left in the match tomorrow, so the odds are probably on a draw, especially with more mixed weather forecast for tomorrow. Then again predicting cricket is a tricky business.
Day 3 of this Inter-Provincial Championship match gets underway at 11am with live ball-by-ball scoring via CricClubs and updates on @lcu_lightning on Twitter.
InterProvincial Championship, North West Warriors v Leinster Lightning
At Bready Cricket Club;
North West Warriors 135 a/o 59.3 overs (W Porterfield 25, A Gillespie 22; S Singh 3-15, P Chase 2-24)
Leinster Lightning 49/1 13 overs (J Tector 24, C McLoughlin-Gavin 18*, A Balbirnie 15*)
Leinster Lightning trail by 86 runs with 9 1st innings wickets in hand