WICKLOW – After securing the IP20 trophy less than 24 hours before, the Lightning made a late smash and grab for the IP50 cup to go with it.
Under bright sunshine similar to the day before, Mark Adair again won the toss and elected to bat.
Leinster Lightning knew exactly what do: win and win big. Northern Knights however just needed to do what they’ve been doing and hold their lead at the top of the table.
Several things also would have to go the way of the home side. That they did with Samuel Willemse removing Jake Egan in the first over.
Ross Adair’s rampage of 57 from just 24 balls quickly turned things around with the Knights scoring 80 in the first ten. But the regular loss of wickets proved damaging.
For the Lighting this was now all they had to do: keep in the game and wait despite a rate of scoring more akin to an IP20 match.
Keep in the game they did. From 71-3 the Knights were soon 115-7 thanks to the bowling of Melvin Deveraj and Fionn Hand in particular.
Eventually removing James McCollum thanks to a spectacular catch from Andrew Balbirnie looked to be a massive moment as the Leinster Lightning were eyeing up a total they could chase quick.
Having bowled out the Knights for 154 in 25 overs, the equation was now simple enough. The Lightning would need to chase this in 22.2 overs for a bonus point win to tie them at the top of the table and then a rapid increase in their net run rate.
They lost Tim Tector early on from a very skilful run out by Mark Adair off his own bowling. But from there everything appeared to follow a script the Lightning were themselves writing.
After the game, Leinster captain George Dockrell shared: “when we woke up, we thought things had to go our way. But if we’d scripted anything it probably would have gone exactly as it has”.
Such was the belief among this group of players, doing the double and overturning their inferior run rate always seemed possible.
MATCH SUMMARY
Leinster Lightning v Northern Knights, IP50 Cup, Oak Hill Cricket Club, 11 September 2024
Northern Knights 154 (25 overs; R Adair 57; F Hand 4-59, M Deveraj Carmichael 57, M Dev 3-30)
Leinster Lightning 157-1 (17.3 overs; A Balbirnie 75, L Tucker 72)
Leinster Lightning won by 9 wickets
Full scorecard here