SKIPPER’S SCINTILLATING STRIKING SINKS MUNSTER REDS

An incredible unbeaten innings from George Dockrell of 68 from just 18 balls, including no fewer than 9 sixes made him the undoubted star of the show in a sensational run chase from the Leinster Lightning, hauling in the target of 220 set by the Munster Reds with 9 balls to spare.

The Lightning skipper won the toss and elected to bowl first, and after a decent Power Play for the bowling side, seeing Mikey O’Reilly and Barry McCarthy taking the wickets of Gareth Delany and PJ Moor respectively, with the score moving to 54.

At this point however Tyrone Kane joined Murray Commins at the crease, as the pair put together a massive partnership of 134 in just 67 balls, Commins bringing up a fine century before being dismissed for 102 from 61 balls. Kane continued on to 66 not out from just 35 balls, including five monster sixes as they finished 219/5 from their 20 overs.

Dockrell was delighted with his bowler’s efforts in the last four overs, as they kept the run rate below 10 in that period of the game, excellent efforts from Josh Little and Barry McCarthy preventing the away side from accelerating to a total towards 250 which had looked at one stage to be on the cards.

The chase began brightly, Irish skipper Andy Balbirnie and Simi Singh progressing the score to 63 inside the 6^th over before Balbirnie was dismissed for 27. Lorcan Tucker came and went for a breezy 14, before Singh was out for 43. Harry Tector was out for 13 with the score on 127, bringing the skipper to the crease, he launched his first ball for 6, and by the end of the over the score had reached 147.

Tim Tector was the last man dismissed, he made 26 from just 17 balls before holing out to Tyrone Kane off the bowling of Gareth Delany, bringing Greg Ford to the crease. Dockrell however simply went into overdrive, moving rapidly to 42 from just 10 balls, and following an 18^th over assault on Kane’s bowling, finished on 68 from just 18 balls.

That left the game up to Greg Ford to settle, as he pulled, drove and flicked David Delany for three consecutive boundaries to bring the Lightning to 221/5 with 9 balls to spare in the innings and a remarkable final chase for the hosts.