KEVIN O'BRIEN'S stubborn half century denied the NW Warriors their first championship victory over Leinster Lightning as the defending champions escaped with a draw on the final day at Pembroke.

A 70-minute rain delay frustrated the Warriors in the morning session, and further resistance from Andrew Balbirnie (114*) held up the Warriors charge.

Craig Young (3-49) dismissed Tyrone Kane (15), and Boyd Rankin (2-72) sent Peter Chase's stumps cartwheeling shortly after as Lightning were dismissed just before lunch for 286 - 223 runs behind.

Andy McBrine had no hesitation in enforcing the follow-on, and Balbirnie emerged to open the batting with Jack Tector as Ed Joyce dropped down the order.

There was no repeat heroics from Balbrinie second time around, bowled by Rankin for 12. Tector however completed his second half century of the game as Warriors strived for early wickets.

Skipper Andy McBrine accounted for Joyce (12), and when Young bowled Tector shortly afterwards, the Warriors sensed an opening.

David Scanlon dismissed John Anderson and Simi Singh cheaply, while Rankin had Sean Terry well caught by Aaron Gillespie. Suddenly the momentum was with the Warriors as Lightning were staring down the barrel at 137 for 6 with two hours left.

However Kevin O'Brien showed his vast experience, hitting 7 fours in an unbeaten 52 which occupied 149 precious minutes.

He shared a stand of 76 with Lightning skipper George Dockrell (31), and in a tense final half hour ensured along with Lorcan Tucker (5*) that the points would be shared.

"It's great to get the draw after the first innings," said Kevin O'Brien afterwards. "Andy Balbirnie played brilliantly in the first innings to hold it together.

"Credit to the Warriors, they played very well, indeed that's the best they have batted and bowled that I've seen. It’s great to see Boyd Rankin and William Porterfield back raising the standard of the competition.

"It was a great cricket wicket, good to bowl on, but if you batted well you could score, as we saw with three hundreds and four fifties in the game."

Ireland's selectors chose the squad for the first Test against Pakistan after the game and it will be announced in Dublin on Friday morning.

SCOREBOARD
NW Warriors
D Barr c Tucker b Chase 16
W Porterfield b Kane 2
A Gillespie c K O'Brien b Chase 57
N O'Brien c Kane b Dockrell 165
S Thompson c Joyce b O'Brien 148
A McBrine c Tucker b O'Brien 10
D Rankin not out 52
R Allen b Dockrell 3
B Rankin c Singh b Dockrell 21
C Young lbw Kane 3
D Scanlon not out 10
Extras 22
Total (9 wkts, 137 overs) 509

Fall: 1-7 2-26 3-93 4-401 5-415 6-417 7-420 8-455 9-489

Bowling: T Kane 28-6-96-2; P Chase 30-3-156-2; K O'Brien 22-5-49-2;
G Dockrell 29-3-120-3; S Singh 27-7-73-0; J Anderson 1-0-3-0


LIGHTNING (1st inns)
E Joyce c Allen b Young 6
J Tector c McBrine b Scanlon 53
A Balbirnie not out 114
J Anderson c D Rankin b B Rankin 1
S Terry c D Rankin b Young 16
K O'Brien c B Rankin b McBrine 12
S Singh lbw Scanlon 4
G Dockrell c Porterfield b Thompson 4
L Tucker c Porterfield b Allen 6
T Kane c Rankin b Young 15
P Chase b Rankin 0
Extras 48
Total (all out, 86 overs) 286

Fall: 1-6 2-110 3-133 4-185 5-204 6-217 7-239 8-251 9-284 10-286

Bowling: C Young 17-4-49-3; B Rankin 19-3-72-2; D Scanlon 13-0-47-2;
S Thompson 16-3-67-1; A McBrine 16-10-15-1; R Allen 5-0-9-1

LIGHTNING (2nd inns)
A Balbirnie b Rankin 12
J Tector b Young 53
E Joyce c D Rankin b McBrine 12
J Anderson c Porterfield b Scanlon 3
S Terry c Gillespie b Rankin 11
K O'Brien not out 52
S Singh c Porterfield b Scanlon 7
G Dockrell c O'Brien b Thompson 31
L Tucker not out 5
Extras 41
Total (7 wkts, 76 overs) 227

Fall: 1-31 2-75 3-93 4-114 5-123 6-137 7-213

Bowling: C Young 15-3-44-1; B Rankin 13-0-42-2; D Scanlon 14-2-39-2;
S Thompson 10-2-45-1; A McBrine 19-10-32-1; R Allen 5-3-8-0