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Barry Chambers

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Despite their undoubted improvement this season the North West Warriors have continued to struggle for consistency and after an impressive win at Comber against the Northern Knights on Sunday, the Belfast side exacted full revenge in a one-sided game at the same venue 24-hours later.

It was a frustrating afternoon if truth be told, endless showers forcing the players off on numerous occasions but take nothing away from the dominant NCU outfit. Andrew White won the toss for the third time in two days and had no hesitation in opting to bat first despite the prospect of a Duckworth/Lewis-affected outcome.

Chris Dougherty, keen to make up for Sunday's golden duck was joined by Nick Larkin and these two gave their team a really solid start with a 55-run stand. The introduction of Johnny Thompson into the North West attack however brought about the desired effect as the Brigade man had Larkin caught behind for 30. Skipper Andy McBrine removed Dougherty in the very next over for 21 before James Shannon, fresh from the previous day's catching practice, and skipper White settled things back down.

That pair added a patient 36 before Rishi Chopra trapped the latter in front for 17. Lee Nelson then joined Shannon and these two set about giving the Knights a real foot-hold in the game as they went firmly on the attack. The Warriors' bowlers came in for a bit of heavy punishment in the next 9 overs, 7 fours and a six in Nelson's 47 (38 balls) before finally being trapped leg before, Chopra again the bowler.

More frustrating rain interruptions came and went after that before the teams finally returned with the match cut to 42 overs per side. At that point the batting side were 167 for 4 with 32 balls left but Shannon and new man Shane Getkate now had the freedom of a five over match with which to lay into the bowling, and that they did. Former Leinster man Getkate hit 4 fours and a six from his 22-ball 36 not out while his partner finished unbeaten on 47, the final total of 227 for 4 assisted by 29 extras from the wayward visitors.

Young Chopra returned the best figures of 2-40 while McBrine with 1-28 from 9 bowled very well too. The Duckworth/Lewis calculation set the Warriors a revised target of 246 in 42 overs. Another rain interruption at the start of the Warriors' innings looked set to see a further reduction in overs but the umpires advised that because the North West side had bowled their 42 overs with 25 minutes to spare, that extra time would now be carried into the second innings. 

Scott Campbell and David Rankin knocked off 28 in the first five-and-a-bit overs but disaster struck at that point for the visitors as David Simpson removed them both in successive balls. Mattie Moran was then run out after a smart piece of fielding from Greg Thompson as Bobby Rao's charges were pinned back still further.  Yet more rain meant more delays after that- Stuart Thompson, Johnny Thompson and Brian Allen all dismissed between the showers by a combination of White and Cameron-Dow. When the players returned for the umpteenth time the Warriors needed another 165 runs in 14 overs with 4 wickets left.

It was just a matter of time after that and although skipper McBrine hit 24 late on, a frustrating day was finally brought to an end by, you've guessed it, more rain. Despite that there was no question whatsoever that the Knights were well worth their 106 -run win (D/L)- their batsmen much more aggressive than in the T20 game while the visitors never came close to their standards of the previous day.

Simpson returned stunning figures of 2-3 from 4 overs while White (2-20) and Cameron-Dow (2-29) were also on the money in the one-sided romp.

NEWSTALK INTER-PROVINCIAL CUP IP50 - Comber, 14th July 2014
Northern Knights 227-4 (42 overs, J Shannon 47no, L Nelson 47, S Getkate 36no, N Larkin 30, C Dougherty 21, R Chopra 2-40)
North West Warriors 95-8 (23.3 overs, A Mc Brine 24, D Simpson 2-3, A White 2-20, J Cameron-Dow 2-29)
Northern Knights beat North West Warriors by 106 runs (D/L)