Porterfield Ton Frustrates Lightning on Day 2
A disciplined, diligent and magnificently obdurate century off 242 deliveries from William Porterfield frustrated the Lightning and leaves the Warriors looking for runs in the morning to potentially set up a tricky chase on the final day.
Arriving for the start of play, the Lightning were determined to add as many runs as possible to their overnight first innings lead and eke out as many Warriors wickets as they could as the afternoon progressed.
George Dockrell signalled the intent with two crunching cover drives in the first over. Craig Young had his revenge though, bowling the Lightning captain on 92 in the very same action-packed over.
Peter Chase took his fine form with the ball into his batting, striking four lovely boundaries in a First-Class career best 24. Josh Little (27) and Jarred Barnes (13*) kept pushing the lead out as the Lightning added 80 runs in a little over 16 overs in the morning session.
When Little was last man out the Lightning had made 273 on the back of George Dockrell’s First-Class best of 92 and had a first innings lead of 193 runs.
Given the difficulties the Warriors batsmen had encountered with the Lightning bowling attack first time around, one or two wondered if they could force the Lightning to bat again.
William Porterfield and David Barr put on 50 for the first wicket before Dockrell trapped Barr (22) LBW. Porterfield merely re-focused and put on 115 with Aaron Gillespie for the second wicket.
They both played some nice shots, but it was a safety-first approach from both as they prized their wickets, forcing the Lightning attack to bowl over after over to them.
Chase, Barnes and Sorenson all tried their luck, while Dockrell and Simi Singh tried to elicit some turn. All the while the Warriors stayed patient and circumspect.
After 61 overs Dockrell through the ball to Andrew Balbirnie to see if that would change the course of the action. Two wickets in three Balbirnie overs followed as first Gillespie (48) and then Thompson (6) edged to keeper and first slip respectively.
It was some late cheer for the Lightning, but all the while Porterfield remained.
After completing his century, Porterfield (115*) first saw his side passed 193 and into the lead before guiding them to the close without further concerns alongside Niall O’Brien.
A tough day for the Lightning but the Warriors lead is just 21 runs and there are just seven wickets remaining. Time to stay positive, re-focus and look for early wickets on Day 3 from 11am tomorrow.
InterProvincial Championship at Bready
Day 2 Close
North West Warriors 80 39 overs (P Chase 5-24, M Sorensen 4-27)
Leinster Lightning 273 70.4 overs (G Dockrell 92, A Balbirnie 35; D Scanlon 4-70, S Thompson 3-72)
North West Warriors 214/3 87 overs (W Porterfield 115*, A Gillespie 48; A Balbirnie 2-17)
North West Warriors lead by 21 runs