A maiden List A century by Andy McBrine guided the North West Warriors to an impressive 145-run victory over the previously unbeaten Munster Reds in the Men’s Inter-Provincial Cup at the Mardyke on Thuersday.
Warriors captain McBrine’s 100 from 121 balls came as his side bounced back from consecutive defeats to blow the title-race wide open. While a commanding innings, it did not come without luck, being dropped three times – the first drop before he had a run on the board.
Having lost the toss and being sent in to bat first, the Warriors lost former Ireland captain William Porterfield for a duck, trapped lbw by David Delany from the second ball of the day. Stephen Doheny (18) struck the first six of the day in the 8th over off Tyrone Kane, but fell soon after to a soft catch in the covers from the bowling of spinner Matt Ford.
That brought McBrine and Graham Kennedy together. The two left-handers sought to wrestle back any early momentum created by the Reds in a 145-run third-wicket stand. McBrine’s half-century came up in the 25th over, off 64 balls, and Kennedy shortly after – bringing up his fifty with a big 6 over the deep fine leg boundary.
Kennedy’s innings was disrupted in the 31st over when a vicious bouncer from David Delany ended up breaking his batting helmet. He batted on bravely for an impressive 64 from 95 balls – falling in the 38th over caught by Fionn Hand, giving Mike Frost his first wicket. The partnership was the Warriors best this year, and it looked like they well on their way to setting a big innings total.
However, Kennedy’s dismissal spurred a batting collapse as Frost took control. The left-arm spinner claimed a List A-career best 5-42 from his 10 overs as the Reds shut down the power-hitters from the North West, including Shane Getkate (1), William McClintock (0) and Graham Hume (1).
McBrine brought up his well-deserved century in the 47th over (which included 9 fours and 2 sixes), but one ball later his innings was ended as he top-edged Delany, caught by opposition skipper PJ Moor.
The Warriors last wicket fell in the 50th over, all out for 235, around 40 runs short of what they were looking at before Kennedy’s loss.
With 236 the target, and the Reds having won their first two games chasing down totals, the Munster side got off to the worst possible start losing Moor (0) with the first ball of the innings courtesy of a Graham Hume in-ducker. Curtis Campher (3) and Tyrone Kane (3) were gone soon after and the Reds found themselves on 21-3 after 10 overs.
Murray Commins and Kevin O’Brien combined for a partnership of 23, but O’Brien fell for 18, deceived by a ball from McBrine which stayed low and bowled him. At 44-4 the Warriors sensed a swift end to proceedings, and they looked hungry for more wickets. Four wickets fell in 23 balls, with Gareth Delany (0), Ford (0), Commins (24) and David Delany (0) departing before the 25th over.
Fionn Hand (11) and Liam McCarthy (19) managed a 28-run partnership to salvage some pride, but it was too late to make a difference to the inevitable outcome, and with the score on 90 McCarthy skied a ball straight back to the bowler Jared Wilson to end the encounter.
McBrine was named Player of the Match, but as with most matches it was an all-round team performance that saw the Warriors to a 145-run win.
Next up for the Warriors is a home game against the Leinster Lightning next Monday May 23, while the Munster Reds will host the Northern Knights on Tuesday May 24.
MATCH SUMMARY
Munster Reds v North West Warriors, Inter-Provincial Cup, The Mardyke, 19 May 2022
Warriors 235 (49.1 overs; A McBrine 100, G Kennedy 64; M Frost 5-42)
Reds 90 (32.3 overs; M Commins 24, L McCarthy 19; A McBrine 2-11)
North West Warriors won by 145 runs
