A last wicket stand of 101 and counting has put the NW Warriors in complete control going into the last day of their Championship clash with the Northern Knights at Comber.

Graham Kennedy (62*) and David Scanlon (45*) added 101 in 22 overs as the Knights visibly wilted after a tiring day in the Comber sunshine, as the Warriors piled on the runs and the agony to finish on 424 for 9 – a lead of 174.

Spinners Harry Tector and James Cameron-Dow shared the bulk of the workload – now having bowled a combined 78 overs out of the 124 the Warriors have faced.

Teenager Tector has bowled 43 overs taking 2 for 94, while Cameron-Dow took the first five wickets of the second day, finishing with 5 for 101 from his 35 overs of toil.

Resuming on 73 for 2, William Porterfield (43) and Niall O’Brien (68) added exactly 100 for the 3rd wicket, with O’Brien stroking 10 fours in a classy innings.

Like London buses, once Cameron-Dow removed Porterfield, adjudged lbw after the Knights appeared initially to be appealing for a catch, Stuart Thompson fell first ball, edging to slip.

Skipper Andy McBrine ensured there would be no collapse as he top-scored with 77, adding 78 for the sixth wicket with David Rankin (43) and 49 for the 7th with Kennedy.

The Warriors need a win to leapfrog defending champions Lightning at the top of the table but it won’t be easy on a pitch that has thus far shown no visible signs of deterioration.

Just how much physical and mental torment Tuesday’s baking in the North Down oven will have had on the Knights remains to be seen.