Bolts turn up Heat in emphatic Mardyke victory

Leinster Lightning Bolts produced a devastating all-round performance as they crushed Munster Heat by 258 runs at the Mardyke.

Yash Bala and Mark Tonge took five wickets apiece. Cricket Leinster

After piling up 330 for five from their 50 overs, the Bolts dismissed the hosts for only 72, with Mark Tonge and Yash Balasubramanium claiming five wickets apiece.

Leinster’s imposing total was founded on four substantial contributions. Matthew Langan and Tom Johnson shared an opening stand of 66 before Langan was run out for 20.

Johnson struck seven fours and two sixes in a measured 68 from 96 balls, adding 86 for the second wicket with Rob O’Brien. O’Brien then accelerated impressively, making 86 from 78 deliveries with 10 fours and two sixes.

Captain and Railway Union team-mate Philippe le Roux maintained the pressure with 52 from 46 balls, while John McNally supplied a spectacular finish. McNally hammered an unbeaten 81 from only 37 deliveries, clearing the boundary six times as Leinster plundered 128 runs from the final 12 overs.

Munster’s chase unravelled immediately when Tonge bowled Sunil Gautam and removed Brian Upman without a run on the board.

Awais Saghir briefly counter-attacked with three boundaries in his 13, while Dineth Sumanasinghe made 16 from 16 balls. However, both became further Tonge victims as the Heat slipped to 34 for four.

Balasubramanium then ripped through the middle and lower order. He dismissed Callum Stevenson for four, Chinmay Shinde for seven, Preston Searra without scoring, Seneth Sumanasinghe for nine and William Shields for a first-ball duck.

Zubair Hassan Khan contributed seven, but Tonge bowled him to complete figures of five for 35.

Balasubramanium returned an outstanding five for 11 as Munster were swept aside and Leinster completed a comprehensive bonus-point victory.

Both scheduled matches between the Emerging Warriors and Knights were abandoned without a ball bowled.