NORTHERN Knights enjoyed their best ever day in Dublin as they scored at four runs an over and batted for all 104 overs to take control of the final inter-provincial championship match of the season.

The pressure may be off, with North West Warriors having already secured the title – it was certainly evident in a lethargic bowling and fielding performance by Leinster Lightning – but you can only play the opposition in front of you and the Knights cashed in.

Four batsmen scored half centuries with James McCollum confirming his burgeoning reputation with the biggest, although the Waringstown batsman will be disappointed to fall seven runs short of his third representative hundred of the summer.

McCollum shared a second wicket stand of 142 with Mark Ellison who is on course to complete a satisfying summer which included a superb century in the Challenge Cup final, and Harry Tector and Mark Adair then compiled their maiden first-class 50s as Knights finished the first day on 415-8, already 44 more than their previous best total on a Leinster ground.

In contrast, it was a day to forget for Lightning and yesterday it was hard to imagine this team having won the first five Championship titles at a canter. The bowlers delivered 14 no balls – which at a two runs a time, increased Knights total by 28 runs – and although Lorcan Tucker has so far taken two catches and a straightforward stumping, he regularly fumbled the ball and has conceded seven byes.

George Dockrell used six bowlers but only Tyrone Kane and Simi Singh could hold their heads high last night as Ireland coach Graham Ford’s claim that the contenders for a regular place in the senior side were not ready, was proven before his eyes.

While Singh finished with three wickets at less than three runs an over from a unbroken 28-over spell at the pavilion end, and Test bowler Kane went for less than two runs an over, Josh Little’s 14 overs disappeared for 85 and Eddie Richardson’s return to the side was also an unhappy experience with his five overs averaging over eight an over.

Lightning also dropped two catches, McCollum at slip on 70 and Tector by the keeper on a nervous 49 while compounding Tucker’s day was a missed run out in the last over of the day as Adair survived to bat another day.
Tector was actually on 49 for half an hour but he could manage only another couple of singles before he drove at Peter Chase to give the Ireland bowler his only wicket.

The tone of the day was set in a thrilling morning session when ended with Knights on 157-1 from just 32 overs. Chris Dougherty went early but that was that only let in the in-form McCollum and he dealt almost exclusively in boundaries – 13 in his first 57 runs which was not particularly quick but all he had to do was wait for the bad bowl and he was rarely disappointed.

Ellison’s strike rate was almost identical but he hit only seven fours and two sixes in his 64 from 101 balls, while Tector needed 124 balls to bring up his 50.

Adair has so far hit 10 fours and two sixes and it seems likely that he will get the chance to go for his century this morning. He certainly deserves it.