Ireland's Inter-Pro T20 Festival: Centuries, incredible run-chases headline Day 1

DUBLIN – Two centuries – first from Munster Reds’ Murray Commins and then from Northern Knights’ Ross Adair – along with George Dockrell’s incredible quick-fire 68 from just 18 balls were the highlights on the opening day of the final 3-day T20 Festival from Pembroke.

The previously unbeaten Munster Reds fell to their first defeat, losing to Leinster Lightning, while Northern Knights claimed their first win in this year’s competition. 849 runs were scored on the day, with huge hits the order of the day on a good batting pitch.

Game 1: Leinster Lightning v Munster Reds

George Dockrell scored an unbeaten 68 runs from just 18 balls in a 25-minute cameo to guide Leinster Lightning to a thrilling 5-wicket victory over the previously unbeaten Munster Reds to blow the Inter-Provincial Trophy wide open in very pleasant conditions in Pembroke.

Player of the Match Dockrell’s knock included nine sixes and two fours as he went all out all guns blazing to secure the victory.

The Reds looked to have set a very competitive total from their 20 overs as Murray Commins bounced back from a pretty disappointing summer to score a 54-ball century. He started off with plenty of intent, hitting three boundaries inside the first two overs. He lost his opening partner with the final ball of the third over when Reds captain PJ Moor (8) was surprised by a ball pitched up from Barry McCarthy and the bowler claimed a return catch.

Commins wasn’t bothered by that as he went on to hit three straight boundaries after the loss of Moor. Gareth Delany (13) brought up the Reds 50 with a big six back over the bowlers head, but then fell next ball leaving the Reds at 54-2 after the power play.

Commins brough up his maiden Inter-Provincial T20 half-century in 33 balls as the Reds moved on to 93 for 2 midway through their innings – the opener then accelerating his innings as he powered to a century off just 55 balls, with 11 fours and five sixes.

Along with Tyrone Kane they combined to score 134 runs in an excellent third wicket partnership, the highest for any wicket in Inter-Pro T20, before Commins finally departed in the 17^th over on 102.

Kane hit a big six in the final over to bring up his career-best Inter-Provincial T20 score of 66* from just 35 balls, with the Reds finishing on 219-5 –  their highest T20 score in this competition.

In the Lightning reply both openers Andrew Balbirnie (27) and Simi Singh (43) got off to solid starts, with Singh smashing a six off Gareth Delany in the first over. They looked to be well set before Balbirnie was caught by Mike Frost in the 6^th over. Lorcan Tucker (14) followed shortly, Mike Frost who had Simi on a knee with the first ball of the over got Tucker to take a step back and he left his stump open and the ball turned back in and hit middle stump.

Gareth Delany bowled well in his four-over spell, limiting some of the early damage, taking 1-21. Spinner Mike Frost was also good with the ball taking 2-38.

The Tector brothers, Harry and Tim looked impressive in their short stays at the crease, scoring 13 and 26 respectively, but the run-chase plaudits went to George Dockrell who came to the crease in the 14^th over – with 93 to win with just 40 balls remaining the odds looked too long for a home side win.

Dockrell smashed two sixes from his first three balls, and continuing in that vein to score a 15-ball half-century. In his 25-minute cameo Dockrell would score 68 runs, which included three successive sixes in the 18^th over which pretty much sealed the win. The Lightning completed a remarkable run-chase with nine balls to spare.

MATCH SUMMARY

Leinster Lightning v Munster Reds, Inter-Provincial Trophy, Pembroke, 27 July 2022

Reds 219-5 (20 overs; M Commins 102, T Kane 66*; B McCarthy 2-44)

Lightning  221-5 (18.3 overs; G Dockrell 68*, S Singh 43; M Frost 2-38)

Leinster Lightning won by 5 wickets

Game 2: Northern Knights v North West Warriors

It was always going to be difficult to match the drama of the opening game, but match it, it certainly did. Ross Adair was the hero for the Knights as they won for the first time in this season’s T20 Trophy competition. His tremendous 111 runs from just 49 balls was the highest individual score in Inter-Provincial T20 history, passing John Mooney’s 110 in 2015.

The defending champions the Warriors lost their opener Dhram Singh with the second ball, but recovered well. Stephen Doheny and Nathan McGuire combined to mount a 133-run partnership. After the opening powerplay the Warriors were on 85-1, with McGuire on 48. He went on to bring up his 50 in the 7^th over off just 23 balls, including six fours and three sixes. Doheny (52) followed up with his own half-century shortly after, before his innings was finally ended in the 11^th over off Matthew Humphreys, with Mark Adair holding on to a good catch at mid-wicket. They then went on to lose further wickets of McGuire (71), Jared Wilson (9) and Shane Getkate (3). That was all in a 10-ball spell, with Tom Mayes taking two of those wickets.

The runs then seemed to dry up over the next four overs, just 25 runs scored in that spell after going for over 11 an over until then. Captain Andy McBrine came in to score an important 39 while Graham Hume (11) and Scott Macbeth (3) lost their wickets late on as the Warriors posted a highly competitive 204 for 8.

Ross Adair and the returning Paul Stirling opened the batting for the Knights, and they began sharply, with Adair scoring 11 off the first over. He continued hitting boundaries at ease before Stirling smashed a six in the 4^th over to get him going. They went on to score 71 runs in the powerplay, staying ahead of the required run-rate.

Stirling scored 27, in a partnership 71 runs with Adair, before he fell to his international team-mate Andy McBrine with the first ball of the 7^th over. While James McCollum joined Adair in the middle, the CIYMS batter continued his assault on the Warriors bowlers – Adair bring up his 50 in just 28 balls. He combined for an 85-run partnership with McCollum.

Adair went on to bring up his maiden T20 century off just 44 balls, falling soon after for 111 off 49 balls (12 fours, eight sixes) – his wicket was one of three that fell between the 13^th to 15^th overs, but the damage had been done and the Knights run-chase looking reasonably comfortable needing 26 for victory off 36 balls.

Ross’s brother Mark came in and added 11 runs to the total before Neil Rock and John Matchett guided the Knights home to a hugely entertaining finish. The Knights winning by four wickets, with 14 balls to spare.

It’s all set up nicely for the next two days of the festival.

MATCH SUMMARY

Northern Knights v North West Warriors, Inter-Provincial Trophy, Pembroke, 27 July 2022

Warriors 204-8 (20 overs; N McGuire 71, S Doheny 52; T Mayes 2-30)

Knights 205-6 (17.4 overs; R Adair 111, P Stirling 27; A McBrine 2-35)

Northern Knights won by 4 wickets