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DUBLIN – The North West Warriors have the advantage after Day One of their Test Triangle Inter-Provincial Championship match against the Leinster Lightning. A brilliant display with the ball and in the field brought about early and regular wickets before the rain curtailed what had been an exciting day of cricket.
Under bright skies at North County Cricket Club, the Lightning captain George Dockrell won the toss and elected to bat first. However, the North West Warriors bowling in the opening exchanges was brilliant with Craig Young and Graham Hume bowling and tight line and length. Young struck early, bowling the in-form Jack Tector without scoring, and soon after Hume took the big wicket of Andy Balbirnie, caught by David Rankin. The Lightning suddenly found themselves 9-2 and in a bit of early bother.

The pressure did not relent from the Warriors bowling, with Graham Kennedy being introduced into the attack to continue the squeeze. Kennedy struck immediately, getting Cormac McLoughlin-Gavin to edge behind to first-class debutant, 18-year old Will Smale. Stephen Doheny and Simi Singh had to fight back for the Lightning, and they did so, working hard for their runs and cashing in on the odd bad ball that was served up. However, Doheny fell when he nicked behind off the returning Hume for 16. Singh was joined by Lorcan Tucker and they went about trying to push the score along.

Just as the two of them were getting settled, the Warriors managed to break the partnership once again. Singh tried to push a single to mid-on but was caught short by a brilliant piece of fielding from William Porterfield, who affected the run-out. George Dockrell was then in and out before lunch-time, with his dismissal to Ryan McBeth signalled lunch, with the Lightning teetering on 94-6.

In the short spell of play after lunch, it was a similar result to previous to the break, with the Warriors’ bowlers pressure yielding more wickets. Tucker and Barry McCarthy both fell in consecutive deliveries to Young – both of whom edged behind to Smale, who ended the day with five catches behind the stumps. However, with the score at 117-8, the umpires decided to take the players off due to rain, and they weren’t to return all day.

Play is set to resume tomorrow in North County Cricket Club tomorrow at 11am weather permitting.

>> See full scorecard here.

Andrew Blair White
Cormac McLoughlin-Gavin in action
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Connaught