A brilliant counterattacking partnership between Kevin O'Brien and Andrew Balbirnie spared Leinster Lightning's blushes in the opening game of the Newstalk Interprovincials yesterday. In pursuit of 285, the Lightning were rocking at 46-4 at Skerries when O'Brien joined his young colleague. But the pair took the fight to the North-West attack and took just over 10 overs for a hundred stand.

They eventually added 187 – a tournament record – in 21.2 overs when O'Brien was unlucky to be run out when a Balbirnie shot flicked the boot of bowler Jonny Thompson. O'Brien made 98 off 67 balls with three sixes and 11 fours. The Pembroke and Middlesex man went on to his century in 100 balls (two sixes, 13 fours) and has given his hopes of an international call-up a big boost.

Earlier the Warriors had made their biggest score in 50 overs interpros, thanks to scores of 60 or more by Jonny Thompson, Jason Milligan and Stuart Thompson. But the major concern for Phil Simmons will be that the three bowlers in the squad to face Sri Lanka this week -- Kevin O'Brien, Max Sorensen and George Dockrell – failed to take a wicket between them, ending their 29 overs with 0-150.

Of the Warriors Ireland bowlers Andrew McBrine was best with 2-50, but when steady drizzle forced the teams off with 12 overs left, never to return, Leinster were just 32 short of victory and 19 runs ahead on Duckworth-Lewis.