LEINSTER Lightning duly collected the first of the three RSA Interprovincial trophies in Bready last night after they swept past the North West Warriors. The 106 run margin reflected their superiority and by securing the T20 title meant new coach Trent Johnston has notched up a win on his CV at the first time of asking.
Max Sorensen took both the man of the match and the man of the series awards after top-scoring with 38 and taking 2-17. Max also claimed a good catch, his fourth in four games including two stunning efforts in the Sydney Parade games.
Merrion's tyro Tyrone Kane took 3-16 in four tidy overs but in truth the Warriors were never in the game.
Leinster's total of 192-5 was far more than the hosts could have chased, having been bowled out for 78 in Dublin last month and for 92 earlier today by the Northern Knights.
Most of the Lightning batsmen cashed in, smashing eight sixes on what is probably the biggest ground in the north-west.
Half those sixes came from their captain, Kevin O'Brien, who faced just 14 balls at the end of the innings but managed an unbeaten 36. At the top of the order Reinhardt Strydom also faced only 14 balls and made 35. Pat Collins capped a glorious weekend before he was unluckily run out for 33.
NORTH WEST WARRIORS 92 all out (20 overs; A White 3-17, D Simpson 2-8, E Moleon 2-16) lost to NORTHERN KNIGHTS 95-5 (18 overs; N Jones 22no, J Holmes 22, A McBrine 3-12, C Young 2-24) by 5 wkts
LEINSTER LIGHTNING 192-5 (20 overs; M Sorensen 38, K O'Brien 36no, R Strydom 35, P Collins 33, G Burns 2-29) beat NORTH WEST WARRIORS 86 all out (18.5 overs D McCarter 20, T Kane 3-16, A Van der Merwe 2-16, E Richardson 2-20) by 106 runs