LIGHTNING OPEN TITLE DEFENCE WITH VICTORY! (JUNE 2ND)

George Dockrell was the star man for the Sherwin O'Riordan Leinster Lightning this afternoon, as even the weather couldn't prevent a winning start to the campaign this time around.

It did however lead to a shortened game, with the umpires finally satisfied at 15:45 that the ground would be playable for 16 overs a side at 16:45, at which point the Warriors won the toss and asked the defending champions to bat first.

Harry Tector (34) was the only one of the Lightning top order to really get going, as Railway Union man Liam McCarthy snared a pair of early wickets.

However, George Dockrell remains as destructive as ever in the shortest form of the game, and he rapidly hauled the score from 45/4 to 117, making 57 out of a stand of 72 with the aforementioned Tector.

Dockrell's knock took just 20 balls and featured three boundaries and six maximums, before a late 25 from just 17 deliveries for Fionn Hand boosted the Lightning's final total to 179/8 in their 16 overs.

Jai Moondra has a reputation for taking early wickets, and this was no different, dismissing Pembroke man Andy Balbirnie for 4, however a strong stand between Roulston (57) and Egan (37) brought the hosts back into the game.

Enter Matt Hollard, who dismissed Roulston, before Scott Macbeth became the first of two big wickets for Dockrell, who finished with excellent figures of 2/21.

Moondra then followed up his opening wicket by taking the scalps of William McClintock and Andy McBrine to secure a comfortable final winning margin of 20 runs for the Lightning, who take on the Knights tomorrow morning to round out their first festival of the season inside 24 hours.

Leinster Lightning beat North West Warriors by 20 runs.
Bready, 2 June.

Leinster Lightning 179-8 (16 overs; G Dockrell 57, H Tector 34, F Hand 25*; C Young 3-37, L McCarthy 2-37)

North West Warriors 159-6 (16 overs; G Roulston 57, J Egan 37, J Wilson 22*; J Moondra 3-31, G Dockrell 2-21)