Chase and Dockrell Dominate Day 1 for Lightning
It’s advantage Leinster after a cold, showery days play between the Lightning and the North West Warriors at Bready. The Lightning are 193/6 with a lead of 113 runs already.
Peter Chase’s best First-Class figures of 5-24 combined with George Dockrell’s highest ever FC score, 84* so far, ensured the Lightning felt happier after a long day’s play finished at nearly 7.30pm.
“I’ve been bowling well recently so it’s nice to get the wickets. It was great having Max Sorenson there too, taking up where he left off really, with his own wickets,” said Chase.
“It was a good day overall, because all credit to George and the lads the way they batted out there to get the runs,” he continued.
With some mist in the air and dark skies about, George Dockrell immediately opted to bowl when he once again won the toss.
Peter Chase and Jarred Barnes had Andy McBrine’s home side under pressure as they extracted any help they could from the overhead conditions and a track that nipped about a little.
Chase struck first, bowling Porterfield (9) in the 9th over, but proceedings were rather meandering along until Davy Barr was given out caught at first slip by Andrew Balbirnie with the score on 36 at the end of the 20th over.
The Warriors weren’t happy the ball had carried, and the umpires had to consult. The result though was confirmation that Barr had to depart for 13.
What followed before lunch was a period of Lightning dominance. Five further wickets fell, and the Lightning reduced the home side to 57/7 at the interval. Max Sorenson bowled five overs taking 3 for 7, while Chase returned to the attack to take two in an over.
After lunch it was Sorenson and Chase who mopped up the Warriors tail. Chase ensured he would have the bragging rights taking the final two wickets in an over as the Lightning bundled the home side out for 80 in 39 overs.
“We had a little discussion when the last wicket fell about who’d get there first but lucky enough it was me,” said Chase about beating Sorenson to the 5-fer.
After a short innings break, John Anderson accompanied young Stephen Doheny to the middle. They were, naturally, very watchful to begin with, wary of any demons to be found in the pitch. Anderson was beginning to settle and Doheny had hit a boundary of his own when he clipped a Stuart Thompson delivery straight to Gillespie at mid-wicket.
That brought Balbirnie to the middle and he obviously felt attack was the best form of defence. Eight boundaries in his 49-run partnership with Anderson said as much.
Anderson had made 28 when Scanlon trapped him LBW, before following that up with the wicket of Singh (5). Graham Kennedy made it 3 in quick succession when he got one to nip back and take Balbirnie’s (35) off stump.
The Lightning were, unlike the Warriors, able to build partnerships and either side of Tea, George Dockrell and Sean Terry put on a second 49-run partnership this time for the 5th wicket.
The evening session was broken up by two rain breaks that led to 9 overs being lost and while Tucker fell to a splendid Porterfield catch in the slips, George Dockrell carried on regardless.
Unperturbed by situation, wickets falling or the rain breaks Dockrell stroked seven boundaries as he guided his side towards 200 and himself to his highest ever First-Class score.
Chase was happy to heap praise on his skipper, “it’s a tricky pitch to bat on and it’s been a serious knock from George to be honest and he’s put us in a good position to hopefully kick on tomorrow”.
After the second rain break the players returned to the field at 6.45pm with ten overs left in the day and the Lightning already leading by 83 runs.
Dockrell and Sorensen saw off those final overs in relative calm. They added 30 runs in the final ten overs to set themselves up for Day 2 which begins at 11am.
InterProvincial Championship at Bready
Day 1 Close
North West Warriors 80 39 overs (P Chase 5-24, M Sorensen 4-27)
Leinster Lightning 193/6 54 overs (G Dockrell 84*; G Kennedy 2-27)