Tyrone Kane scored 83 off 54 balls, and also took 3-44 with the ball in a Player of the Match performance, as reigning Rario Inter-Provincial Cup champions Munster Reds got their first win of the 2023 campaign, beating Leinster Lightning by five wickets at a sun-drenched Sydney Parade. It was also a day to remember for 16 year-old Lightning bowler Reuben Wilson, who claimed his maiden five-fer in a truly remarkable performance. 

Kane combined with his captain PJ Moor to score the highest fourth wicket partnership in the history of the competition – scoring 157 – while there were also half-centuries for Murray Commins, Alistair Frost and Moor.

Earlier in the day Mark Donegan scored a maiden half-century, 87 off 113 balls as the Lightning struggled with their top-order batting, as they found themselves 91-5 in the 21^st over. 

An 88-run partnership between Donegan and George Dockrell had the Lightning back on track, before Donegan fell to a Commins catch off the bowling of Kane.

The Lightning lower-order of Fionn Hand, Gavin Hoey and Barry McCarthy put up 67 runs between them as the Lightning were bowled out for 287 with nine balls remaining, with Kane (3-44) and Michael Granger (3-46) taking six wickets between them.

The Reds began the chase slowly, but the opening partnership of Commins and Frost had the batting side in the ascendancy at the midway point of their innings.

But in the 30th over the game changed dramatically, as the aforementioned Wilson struck for three wickets in just four balls, taking the wickets of both openers Commins and Alistair Frost, as well as Curtis Campher. He went on to claim a five-fer, when he took the wickets of Kane and Gareth Delany late on. Wilson became only the fourth Leinster Lightning bowler to take a five-fer, other than Barry McCarthy, Kane and Dockrell.

Reds captain PJ Moor came in at number five and he, along with Kane, produced that record fourth wicket stand, before Kane fell to Wilson. Brandon Kruger scored the winning runs as Munster Reds took the victory with 12 balls to spare.

MATCH SUMMARY

Leinster Lightning v Munster Reds, Inter-Provincial Cup, Pembroke Cricket Club, Dublin, 18 May 2023

Leinster Lightning 287 (48.3 overs; M Donegan 87, G Dockrell 38; T Kane 3-44)

Munster Reds 288-5 (48 overs; T Kane 83, PJ Moor 69; R Wilson 5-42)

Munster Reds won by 5 wickets.

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