The Munster Reds batsmen must have been watching Paul Stirling batting on Thursday night because it was a case of anything he can do, his international team-mates can match.

In an outrageous display of hitting, the Reds chased down Leinster Lightning’s 188 for six inside 15 overs as the first T20 inter-provincial festival of the season got under way at Comber in spectacular fashion.

Kevin O’Brien, desperate to get back into the Ireland team top scored with an undefeated 64 from 27 balls, with seven fours and two sixes, the last two finishing the match in the only way possible after 65 minutes of carnage.

Remarkably, the Reds were two for two at the end of the first over with captain PJ Moor and Murray Commins both dismissed first ball by Jack Carty, who wasn’t recalled after bowling two overs .

Gareth Delany and Tyrone Kane then led the charge, hitting 91 off the next 34 balls before Delany was bowled by Simi Singh, but that was to the only success for Ireland’s leading spinner, who conceded 51 runs in his 3.4 overs.
Mikey O’Reilly, still playing against the team he was originally selected for because of Lightning’s injury list, had Kane caught behind for 62, which included six sixes and came off just 29 balls. Even Curtis Campher, who was Lightning’s most successful bowler, came in for the conclusion and slammed 17 off eight.

The bonus point win took the Reds to the top of the table, although North West Warriors missed picking up the extra point by just three balls as they chased down Northern Knights 149 for eight to win the first match of the day, to the delight of head coach Boyd Rankin.

“It’s nice to start our defence of the trophy with a win,” he said. “We bowled well up top, although while Mark (Adair) and Ruhan (Pretorius) were in there it looked like we were chasing 170-180, which I thought was par. But we bowled well in the last three overs (taking four wickets for just eight runs) which really helped us.

“The way we started with the bat, with Stephen (Doheny) hitting the first ball six set the tone for the rest of the innings. That’s what we talk about, being positive, and we took it to them from ball one.”