Ross Adair lit up a dull day at Eglinton with a memorable century to lead Northern Knights to a five-wicket victory over North West Warriors in the T20 Trophy.
Adair, who cannot get into the Ireland T20 side unless either Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie is omitted, staked a claim for a recall with a record-breaking 116, beating his own previous best in the tournament of 111, also against the Warriors, two years ago.
Ryan Macbeth contained him to a single from his first two balls but he greeted international team-mate Graham Hume with a six and an edged four — and he just kept going.
His 50 came up in the sixth over, out of a total of 56, from just 22 balls (eight fours and two sixes) and his second 50 took just one ball more, with another two fours and five sixes as the cars and adjacent houses were consistently in danger.
He couldn’t quite see the Knights to victory — they were still 32 runs short — but it took a superb diving catch on the cover boundary by Cameron Melly to dismiss him in the 17th over.
Hume had the satisfaction of claiming the wicket and two more (Neil Rock and Ben Calitz) in his final over made him the Warriors’ most successful bowler.
Macbeth, however, was the best on view and he deserved the prize wicket of Paul Stirling after bowling eight ‘dot’ balls to Ireland’s T20 captain before having him caught at mid-off two balls later for four.
Highlight of the Warriors innings was Stephen Doheny’s 84 from 50 balls (six fours, six sixes) although after his dismissal, Jared Wilson and Melly finished the innings in style with a partnership of 60 in just 30 balls, Melly, who was run out off the last ball, hitting four fours and three sixes in his 16-ball 40.
The teams meet again on Thursday when the 50-over Cup resumes although Warriors will be without the suspended Doheny and Mark Adair is a major doubt for the Knights after leaving the field after completing his four overs for 38.
SCORES
North West Warriors 204-6 (S Doheny 84, C Melly 40, J Wilson 30 not out, S Macbeth 20; C Robertson 2-25)
Northern Knights 208-5 (19 overs, R Adair 116, C Carmichael 32, M Topping 27; G Hume 3-51)
Knights won by five wickets