Mark Adair plays his first inter-provincial of the season today when he captains what must be one of the strongest Northern Knights sides ever assembled.

The Ireland international, much to his disappointment, was told to sit out the Knights’ opener against Leinster Lightning in Pembroke last Tuesday as it came just two days after the end of the three-match series against Bangladesh in England.

But the all-rounder has been given the go-ahead to play to play against champions Munster Reds at Stormont (10.45am) and Test match colleague James McCollum is also fit to play after pulling out last week on the morning of the match with a knee problem.

Add on fellow internationals Ross Adair, Neil Rock and Matthew Humphreys plus Ireland squad members Tom Mayes and Matthew Foster and Ruhan Pretorius, who many feel is ready for an Ireland call-up, and then in-form Cade Carmichael and Morgan Topping and there does not look to be a weakness.

No-one comes into the game in better form than Rock, the wicket-keeper batsman scored an astonishing 142 from 53 balls for Rush in their National Cup game against Strabane on Saturday. He hit seven fours and 16 sixes.
It’s the first of two games this week for the Knights, who also meet North West Warriors at Bready on Thursday but by then Adair, McCollum and Mayes will be back on Ireland duty, preparing for the first-class game against Essex at Chelmsford, which starts on Friday – the squad’s only red-ball preparation ahead of next week’s Test match against England at Lord’s.
 

Meanwhile, Dragons completed back to back wins in the Super T20 Trophy, following up their success against champions Scorchers with an exciting five wickets victory over Typhoons at Oak Hill yesterday.

After restricting Mary Waldron’s side to 113 for five, Amy Hunter and Bella Armstrong replied with 44 for the first wicket but after losing their way in the middle overs, Hunter and Alana Dalzell added 29 from just 16 balls for the fifth wicket.

Although Dalzell was caught in the last over with three runs still needed for victory, Fox Lodge’s Molly Devine came in and needed only two balls to get the winning runs. Hunter finished 46 not out from 44 balls.

Scores: Typhoons 113-5 (20 overs, G Atkinson 43, M Waldron 40; A Kelly 2-12, A Dalzell 1-17) Dragons 114-5 (19.4 overs, A Hunter 46, B Armstrong 22, A Dalzell 14; L Little 2-24). Dragons won by 5 wickets.