Shane Getkate stepped up in his role as stand-in captain of North West Warriors to take them to a three wickets victory and inflict a first defeat of the season on Northern Knights.

Getkate won the match with a six from the fourth ball of the last over as the table toppers’ attack was found wanting in the absence of Mark Adair, Matthew Foster and Tom Mayes, who are all with the Ireland squad in England.

Knights enjoyed the perfect start with an opening stand of 114 between Ross Adair and Ruhan Pretorius. Adair top scored with 76 from 56 balls (five fours and five sixes) but after finishing the 40th over on 201 for four, the Knights scored only 52 in the last 10 overs, while losing five wickets, four of them to Eglinton professional Mike Erlank.

Stephen Doheny, dropped from the Ireland World Cup qualifying squad gave the best possible answer to lead the Warriors reply with 78 and although they lost two wickets in successive balls to leave them at 167 for five, Getkate stood tall, with a composed 58 not out. He was well supported by William McClintock who kept Warriors up with the run-rate, blasting four sixes in his 32.