North West Warriors enjoyed a much improved second day of their inter-provincial Championship match against Leinster Lightning at Bready.

Leading the comeback was Ireland Test captain William Porterfield with his second century of the season for Warriors, and his 10th in first-class cricket. He starts the final day 115 not out with the Warriors 21 runs ahead with seven second innings wickets left.

With the sun out for much of the day, the Lightning bowlers did not enjoy the same swing or seam movement second time around, after dismissing their hosts for 80 on Wednesday.
This time, having surrendered a first innings lead of 193, it was a much more disciplined batting performance by Warriors with Porterfield and David Barr setting the perfect example, their opening stand worth just 50 but using up 28 valuable overs.

It allowed Aaron Gillespie to come in against an older ball and he showed his talent in a 117-ball innings, ended just two runs short of a third first-class 50 by Andrew Balbirnie, Lightning’s third spinner, who followed up with the wicket of Stuart Thompson.

But any late panic was halted by Porterfield who brought up his century from a patient 242 balls, with 12 fours, and next ball ensured that Lightning would have to bat again.

At the start of the day, George Dockrell crashed boundaries off Craig Young’s third and fourth deliveries to take him to within eight runs of his maiden first-class century, but next ball he was bowled.

Little, who didn’t bowl yesterday because of a slight side strain – but it should not affect his participation in next week’s T20 internationals – and Peter Chase then enjoyed themselves with the bat, adding 31 for the ninth wicket and Jarred Barnes piled on the pain with a six and a four off successive deliveries of David Scanlon, who had the final say when he Little caught at slip.