Close Shave But Warriors Go Top Of T20 Table

The North West Warriors will go into the final round of the Newstalk T20 matches at Sydney Parade in Dublin next month in pole position and knowing that a win against the hosts will see Andy McBrine lifting the Interprovincial T20 trophy, just a season after finishing the same tournament without a point.

Bobby Rao's men recorded a win over the Dubliners at Bready last weekend and just about held their nerve at Comber today (SUN) to make it two from three against the Northern Knights.

Despite losing the toss the game couldn't have started any better for the visitors as Craig Young bowled his former Bready team-mate Chris Dougherty with the very first ball of the match.

Almost straight away the home side were two down as Andy Britton, back in the Warriors line-up for the first time this season had Nick Larkin caught by Brian Allen for 9. Nigel Jones was next to go, run out by a direct hit from Warriors skipper Andy McBrine and the fielding side's tails were really up.

James Shannon and Andrew White took their team past 50 but no sooner had they done so than Rishi Chopra came into the attack, removing them both for 25 and 13 respectively.

Lee Nelson kept things ticking along but the overs were now clocking up quickly as well in the face of a thoroughly impressive display from the away team.

Nelson was unbeaten on 29 when time was up and testament to the accuracy of the attack that the final two overs yielded just 7 runs.

A final total of 120 for 8 looked light at the half way point but credit the North West bowlers- McBrine (2-18), Chopra (2-24), as well as Young, Thompson and Britton who all deservedly picked up a wicket apiece.

The reply began well with Stuart Thompson and David Rankin soon in the groove and playing their shots. That pair put on 49 in 7 overs for the first wicket before Rankin holed out to James Shannon off the bowling of Jones for 22.

Thompson went shortly after, caught at the wicket off the same bowler for 26 to leave the Warriors 66 for 2 but still well in control.

Mattie Moran was next man in, the Brigade player making his Warriors debut and he chipped in with 16 before he too was snaffled by Shannon looking for another big hit.

From a position of comfort however the North West men seemed to get the wobbles as skipper McBrine also found the safe hands of Shannon to take the score to 79 for 4.

Greg Thompson was by now bowling his side back into the contest and it was game on when he had Andrew Riddles caught and bowled for 7 in his next over.

The visitors were looking for a calm head at this point but Brian Allen was unable to stop the slide when he looped one back to Jones off the bowling of Cameron-Dow. A couple of lofty blows from Johnny Thompson finally allowed the Warriors to close it out but with only four balls to spare this was much closer than it ever should have been.

Thompson (3-10) and Jones (2-10) bowled superbly for the Knights but the plain fact is that they didn't score enough runs.