WHIRLWIND MCCARTHY SEES LIGHTNING STORM TO VICTORY

An outstanding display with the ball from Leinster Lightning opening bowler Barry McCarthy saw the “visitors” to Sydney Parade emerge with a fantastic 93-run victory over Munster today.

After weather had frustrated the sides on Thursday, and The Mardyke in Cork under water, Munster elected to host the fixture in Pembroke Cricket Club thanks to the assistance of the club, and GM by Choice. This meant that for one day only, the Lightning were visitors in their own back yard!

Munster won the toss and captain Tyrone Kane elected to field first and after an early wicket apiece for Josh Manley and Kane himself dismissing Tector (6) and Balbirnie (5) respectively, would have been delighted with their start.

Kevin O’Brien survived the initial burst to put on a fine 85 run partnership with Lorcan Tucker before being dismissed for 39, with the Lightning vice-captain/wicket-keeper continuing to accumulate runs in his second big partnership of the innings with captain George Dockrell.

Tucker clothed Amish Sidhu to Séamus Lynch at mid-on for 58 before Simi Singh swung and missed at a Gareth Delany delivery for 5. Meanwhile, Dockrell moved through 50 and beyond.

Contributions of 21 from Jamie Grassi and 22 from Josh Little assisted. Meanwhile Dockrell continued through the gears. The score progressing beyond 250 and a score in excess of 300 looked on the cards.

With 257 on the board, Manley returned to bowl the 46^th over, with his first ball he delivered what he later described himself as a “spinner’s wicket” as his full toss to the Lightning captain was deposited straight down Murray Commins’ throat at deep mid-wicket for 88.

Kane dismissed Chase and Little to finish the Lightning innings off with the score at 271, the former Lightning man producing 4/46 as the pick of the Reds’ bowlers.

The second innings began with a lot of promise for Munster, PJ Moor (23) and Gareth Delany (14) both striking several early boundaries before Barry McCarthy burst the game open dismissing both batsmen, along with Peter Chase dismissing Kane without scoring to reduce the home side to 42/3.

McCarthy then delivered another double blow, firstly with a delivery that rose sharply on Matt Ford, taking the glove on the way through to Tucker. He then followed up with a peach to uproot Greg Ford’s middle stump and see Munster 58/5.

Murray Commins remained throughout this onslaught from the Lightning bowlers, and played a patient hand while Séamus Lynch was belligerent in battle with Simi Singh, launching the YMCA man over his head for 6 twice before Singh eventually won the day seeing the Terenure youngster caught at long-off by O’Brien.

Jack Carty made 18 before being strangled down the leg-side by David O’Halloran, seeing Fionn Hand join Commins, who removed the shackles and opened his shoulders, moving to 50 before Josh Little pinned him on the crease LBW.

McCarthy then returned to finish off the innings, firstly dismissing Sidhu thanks to a fantastic catch at gully by Dockrell, before he fired in a short ball to Hand, who pulled to mid-on, where Josh Little ran around and snared the catch, dismissing him for 27 and bowling Munster out for 178 to secure a 93 run win for the Lightning and assert their position atop the IP50 table.

McCarthy’s figures of 6/39 are the best for Leinster Lightning in all List A fixtures, and the best of the season in this year’s competition so far.

Leinster Lightning – 271 all out
G Dockrell 88, L Tucker 58; T Kane 4/46

Beat

Munster Reds – 178 all out
M Commins 50; B McCarthy 6/39

by 93 runs

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