DOCKRELL STARS AS LIGHTNING CLOSE OUT SERIES WITH WIN

Leinster Lightning closed out the 2017 Inter-Provincial Series with a convincing 55-run (DLS) victory over Northern Knights at Rathmines.

George Dockrell – playing on his home turf – starred with both bat and ball as Lightning finished the campaign in style, dominating all three competitions to complete a third successive treble.

Dockrell top scored with a fluent half-century from just 35 balls (4 fours, 2 sixes) as the home side posted 239 for 8 in an innings shortened to 48 overs.

A solid Lightning batting display saw 8 of the 10 batters reach double figures, with Irish internationals Sean Terry (32), Lorcan Tucker (30), Simi Singh (29), Kevin O’Brien (21) and John Anderson (21) all passing 20.

Left-arm spinner Gary Kidd (3-31) was the best of the Knights attack, while Shane Getkate (2-61) also picked up two wickets.

The Knights reply saw Nikolai Smith fall fourth ball, but James Shannon sparkled briefly hitting a breezy 20 from just 12 balls (3 fours, 1 six) before being bowled by Tyrone Kane after yet another rain interruption.

Wickets fell at regular intervals throughout the stop-start innings with Dockrell (3-31), Peter Chase (2-15) and Simi Singh (2-29) the most successful.

Robert McKinley struck two sixes in a run-a-ball unbeaten 27 but the Knights were dismissed for just 132 – 55 runs adrift of their revised target of 188 in 25 overs.

Lightning skipper John Anderson received the trophy at a post-match ceremony – the 13th trophy won by them out of a possible 15 since the inter-provincial series was relaunched back in 2013.

INTER-PROVINCIAL CUP

At Rathmines, Leinster Lightning beat Northern Knights by 55 runs (DLS)

LIGHTNING 239-8 (48 overs; G Dockrell 50, S Terry 32, L Tucker 30, S Singh 29, K O’Brien 21, J Anderson 21; G Kidd 3-31, S Getkate 2-61)

KNIGHTS (target score 188 in 25 overs) 132 all out (24.5 overs; R McKInley 27*, J Shannon 20; G Dockrell 3-18, P Chase 2-15, S Singh 2-25)