North West Warriors got off the mark in the inter-provincial Trophy in the first match on day 2 in Pembroke with a comfortable 45 runs victory over Northern Knights. Thirties from Gavin Roulston, Andrew Balbirnie and Scott Macbeth laid the platform for Gareth Delany’s destruction at the end of the innings. The Ireland international hit 56 from just 27 balls with four fours and three sixes, dismissed to the final ball after bringing up the 200 for his side. It was another bad day for the Knights’ bowlers – all went for at least 8½ runs an over, with Adam Leckey the most successful finishing with three for 37. Both teams were missing their captains with Balbirnie standing in while Andy McBrine recovers from a back problem and Cade Carmichael replaced Matthew Humphreys who tweaked his shoulder on Tuesday. Knights were always up with the run rate but lost wickets at regular intervals. Only Kian Hilton with 43 not out from 25 balls and James McCollum 33 from 17, got out of the 20s and seven didn’t even get into double figures. Trent McKeegan and Scott Macbeth each took three wickets for the Warriors, Macbeth the sixth bowler used conceding just 17 runs in his 3.1 overs as he finished the match at the start of the 18th over.

Leinster Lightning made it two wins out of two in the Inter-provincial Trophy competition, following up their win in the only game to beat the weather in Bready with a eight wickets hammering of Northern Knights in the first game at Pembroke. After restricting Knights to 152 for nine, Tim Tector and captain Lorcan Tucker saw them to victory in just the 14th over with an unbroken partnership of 65. Tector hit four fours and three sixes in his 56 but Tucker overtook him with the winning shot, finishing on 58 with five fours and four sixes. After being put into bat, only James McCollum faced more than 20 balls for the Knights on his way to a top score of 24 as four of the five Lightning bowlers all got among the wickets. The opening pair of Jai Moondra and Matthew Hollard each took three, Gavin Hoey two and George Dockrell was the most economical of them all, with one for 15 in his four overs.

Rain caused the match to be abandoned before the Toss could take place.

Leinster Lightning opened their defence of their inter-provincial Trophy with a convincing 20 runs victory over North West Warriors. After rain throughout the day, it was good fortune and good work by the Bready groundstaff to get a 16-over match under way at 4.45pm and despite some light rain in the second innings, the game reached its natural conclusion. George Dockrell was the match-winner with 57 from 20 balls, hitting six sixes and three fours and converting a hesitant start into a storming finish. Harry Tector was the only member of the top five to reach double figures for Lightning, also facing 20 balls but managing only 34 while Fionn Hand chipped in at the end with a valuable 25 from 17 balls. (Club ??) professional Jeremy Martins on his debut was disappointing, with 13 from 15 balls and not a hint of a boundary. Craig Young was the most successful bowler with three wickets – he also took two catches – but conceded more than 12 an over, Jared Wilson the most economical and although he removed Tector he was given only two overs. Warriors and in particular Gavin Roulston dominated the first half of the chase, as they scored 80 in eight overs but Roulston was caught in the next over for 57 from 31 balls (five fours, five sixes) and when Scott Macbeth, one of two wickets for Dockrell, and William McClintock followed in the next two overs, the holders were in control. Jake Egan hit 37 off 30 balls and Jared Wilson finished 22 not out from 13 but by then Warriors needed 52 off the last two overs and time for Jai Moondra to take his third wicket. The Northern Knights join the competition on Wednesday, playing in both games – if the weather allows!