LIGHTNING BOLTS SECURE FUTURE SERIES WITH CONVINCING VICTORY

An excellent all-round bowling performance from the Sherwin-O’Riordan Leinster Lightning Bolts has seen them claim the Future Series title for the 2023 season.

A brief rain delay at the beginning of the day saw the game pushed back to a midday start, with the game reduced to 45 overs rather than the usual 50.

Having won the toss, skipper Philippe le Roux, replacing the injured John McNally from yesterday’s side, elected to bat first. A 65 run second wicket partnership featured Chris de Freitas and the dominant Mark Donegan saw a good base built, and by the time Donegan was third out he had made 59 and the score had progressed to 102.

Adam Rosslee and Philippe le Roux added 36 before the former was dismissed for a nicely made 39. The score was 142/5 when Dylan Lues joined le Roux, and the pair batted excellently, compiling a partnership of 89 in just 83 balls, as both men passed half-centuries in bringing the score along to 231 with 3 overs remaining. A late rally from Emerging Knights bowler Benjamin Snell saw some progress halted, however the Bolts still made their way to 248 all out in the last of their 45 overs.

A decent start for the Emerging Knights saw them make their way to 35, before a wicket for each of Cian Nulty and Mikey O’Reilly saw the score 39/2. Another brief partnership saw the score move to 62, before an excellent spell saw the Lightning take three wickets for just one run. One apiece for Amish Sidhu and Dylan Lues, either side of an excellent O’Reilly run out. That saw the score move to 63/5 and put the Knights well on the back foot.

Lues dismissed Metcalfe to make the score 72/6, before a quick pair of wickets for Danny Forkin moved the score to 104/8. Forkin then dismissed Adam Kennedy for the 9th wicket. CJ can der Walt added a spirited 39 before the final wicket fell to Olly Riley with the score on 144, seeing the Bolts run out 104 run winners and secure the Future Series with a bonus point victory.