A damp patch on the pitch coupled with early morning drizzle and little in the way of drying conditions meant an early abandonment at Oakhill. It's been a desperately disappointing tournament for the Warriors who were heavily beaten in most of their games and finish bottom without a win to their name. Munster Heat finish above them courtesy of Wednesday's win in the T20 contest.

Leinster Lightning Bolts secured the Future Series title as they bounced back from Wednesday's loss to beat Emerging Knights by 104 runs in a game reduced by morning rain to 45 overs at Stormont. Mark Donegan dominated a second wicket stand of 65 with Chris De Freitas (19) to set the Dubliners on their way. Adam Rosslee continued his recent run with a well made 39, but wickets for Harry Dyer and Ben Snell meant the game was in the balance at 142 for 5 in the 31st over. Skipper Phillipe Le Roux (51) and Dylan Lues (54) then shared a decisive sixth wicket stand of 89 in 11.3 overs to post 248. Waringstown's Ben Snell's finished with the excellent figures of 8-24, which came off 8.4 overs including 5 wickets for 17 runs in his final 16 deliveries. The Knights skipper Paddy Beverland (28) got his side off to a decent start in an opening stand of 35, but thereafter the Bolts dominated, with Dom Joyce's side taking wickets at regular intervals. CJ van der Walt provided some resistance with 39, but three wickets for Merrion left-arm spinner Daniel Forkin and two for Balbriggan's Dylan Lues ensured a comfortable win.

Matty Brewster took three wickets and scored 24 as Munster Heat beat the Emerging Warriors by 6 wickets at Oakhill. Brewster's 3 for 21 was complemented by two wickets apiece for Finn Catherwood and Ryan Joyce as the Warriors scored a disappointing 112. Gavin Roulston top-scored with 32, while Liam Doherty and Harry Zimmermann made 21 apiece. Munster struggled initially to 55 for 4 in the 12th over, but Ryan Joyce hit 4 fours and 2 sixes in an unbeaten 38, sharing an unbroken 5th wicket stand of 58 with Hayden Melly (18*). The teams meet again on Thursday at the same venue where the Warriors will hope to gain their first win of the tournament.

Jake Egan's unbeaten half century helped the Emerging Knights beat Lightning Bolts by 9 runs in a high scoring contest at Stormont. The Carrick player top-scored with 57 not out from 35 balls (4 fours, 3 sixes), sharing a 5th wicket stand of 61 in 6 overs with Ben Calitz, who also cleared the ropes three times in his 38. There were also quickfire 20s from Max Burton and Jack Dickson as the home side racked up 190 for 6. They needed them all as Lightning made a fast start with Adam Rosslee hitting 4 sixes in his 55, dominating a second wicket stand of 76 with Swapnil Modgill (20). Skipper Mark Donegan (38) and Chris de Freitas (34*) added 61 in an entertaining stand, but the required rate was always just out of reach - Ben Snell taking three wickets as they ended on 181 for 5. The teams meet again on Thursday at the same venue with the winner of the 50-overs contest taking the Future Series title.

The Emerging Knights made it four wins from four as they overcame a late wobble to secure a bonus point win that means they keep pace with leaders Leinster Bolts going into the final phase of the Future Series in three weeks time. Jordan Neill hit 10 fours and a 6 in a blistering 56 from just 36 balls for Munster Heat, but only Haydn Melly (29) got past 20 in a disappointing total of 130. There were four wickets for Carrickfergus captain CJ van der Walt, plus two apiece for Ewan Wilson and Harry Dyer. Skipper Paddy Beverland (30) and Jake Egan (24) got the chase off to a decent start and at 83 for 3 and 112 for 4, it looked a routine win. However, a flurry of wickets saw four fall for just four runs, and at 116 for 8, it looked as if the Knights had blown it. However, teenager Dyer kept a cool head and secured the points that ensured the journey home was a happy one for Simon Johnston's side.

It was a tale of two centuries at The Bleachgreen as Leinster Bolts survived an early scare to secure a six-wickets win over the Emerging Warriors. The hosts, with the exception of Liam Doherty struggled against the Bolts attack. The Eglinton opener dominated the innings - hitting 12 fours and clearing the ropes three times in a brilliant 113 for 119 balls. He eventually fell to a stunning running catch by Matt Weldon, who dived full length at deep cover to cling on as the Warriors made 194. Dylan Lues (4-38), Daniel Forkin (3-29) and Cian Egerton (2-30) were the pick of the Dubliners attack. Swapnil Modgill and David Vincent fell cheaply to Josh Wilson and Trent McKeegan, and at 7 for 2 the Warriors sensed a shock. However, Chris De Freitas showed his class, hitting a brilliant hundred to settle the contest. The Balbriggan man shared stands of 67 for the third wicket with Adam Rosslee (26) and 83 for the fourth with John McNally - who hit 53 from 45 balls (5 fours, 3 sixes). It looked as if De Freitas would just miss out on his hundred, as with 10 required for the win, he was on 86. However, he thumped two extra cover drives before depositing Scott Macbeth over deep midwicket to get the landmark and the victory. The Knights and Bolts now meet at Stormont on August 9th and 10th to decide the tournament winners.

Leinster Lightning Bolts top the table as they gained their third win of this abbreviated series racing to an 8-wicket win over the Emerging Warriors at the Bleachgreen in Ardmore. A fine bowling display, backed up by the fielders restricted the hosts to 128 for 7 having been put in by Phillipe Le Roux. Skipper Harry Zimmerman top-scored with 31, while there runs too for Gavin Roulston (25) and Tommy Orr (21). The hosts though were never able to break the shackles with left-armers Mikey O'Reilly (2-26) and Matt Weldon bowling with real pace, and the varied spin of Daniel Forkin, Hama Maan and Dylan Lues offering different challenges. The total looked under par and so it proved as the Dubliners raced out of the blocks scoring 72 runs in the powerplay to all but settle the contest. Merrion's Swapnil Modgill pierced the infield at will, with an array of lowing drives and pulls, while YMCA's wicket-keeper batsman Adam Rosslee was particularly severe on anything short or that offered width. Modgill hit 10 fours and one six in his 57 from 32 balls, while Roslee's unbeaten 63 included five fours and four maximums. Their opening stand of 109 from 57 balls was ended by Josh Wilson (2-21) who then trapped Chris De Freitas the net ball, offering no shot. It was only scant consolation as Rosslee took 18 off the 11th over to reach his half century and give the Bolt's run-rate a further boost away from the Knights who are also on 14 points at the half-way point of the competition.

The Emerging Knights recovered from a poor start to inflict a 63-run defeat on Munster Heat at Oakhill. Three wickets for Byron McDonough had the NCU in trouble at 39 for 4 before they rallied thanks to a fifth wicket stand of 79 in 10 overs between Jack Dickson and CJ van der Walt. Dickson top-scored with 58 from 47 balls (3 fours, 3 sixes), while Van Der Walt's unbeaten 41 from 37 deliveries included 3 fours and saw him clear the ropes twice in a total of 145 for 6. That proved was too many for the Munster side who never got going at any stage thanks to a fine display by the bowling unit. Matty Brewster made 28 but Heat struggled to 82 for 7. Adam Kennedy picked up two wickets while there were one apiece for Ben Snell, CJ van der Walt, James West and Carson McCullough. The teams meet again on Thursday in a 50 overs contest at the same venue.

Leinster Lightning Bolts made it back-to-back wins as they eased to a seven wickets win against Munster Heat at The Mardyke. Ireland Under 19 international Jordan Neill top-scored with the hosts with 34 (3 fours, 1 six), while Ryan Joyce hit 30 (4 fours) as Heat made a solid start. However, from 50 for 1, they slid to 114 all out with a string of single figure scores. Amish Sidhu (3-3), Dylan Lues (3-18), and Olly Riley (2-10) doing the bulk of the damage. The chase was all about Balbriggan’s Chris De Freitas, who hit 13 fours and a maximum in an unbeaten 75 from just 65 balls to secure a bonus point win that sees the Dubliners top the table after two matches of the abbreviated six-match 2023 series.

The Emerging Knights made it two wins from two as they beat the Emerging Warriors relatively comfortably in the T20 contest at Stormont. Batting first the North-West side were given a quick start by Liam Doherty’s 20 in 14 balls (2 fours, 2 sixes), and with Scott MacBeth making 32, they were well placed at 60 for 2 after 9 overs. Unfortunately their innings fizzled out, ending with a whimper rather than a bang, managing to add just 59 in the last 11 overs, CIYMS teenage duo Adam Kennedy (3-21) and Carson McCullough (2-25) helping to apply the brakes. Ollie Metcalfe hit 7 fours to get the chase off to a quick start, but two wickets for Charlie Downey (2-21) saw the hosts falter, losing three wickets for just four runs to be 68 for 4 at the halfway point. That was as good as it got for the Warriors though, as Canadian U19 international Ben Calitz (30*) and Aditya Adey (22*) added an unbroken 52 in just 32 balls to seal the six-wicket win in the 16th over.

The Emerging Knights got their season up and running with a 17-run win over the Warriors in a game reduced to 31 overs due to the morning rain. Newbuildings paceman Trent McKeegan’s (4-43) early burst had the hosts in trouble at 46 for 4, and wickets for teenagers Charlie Downey (3-20) and Josh Wilson (2-28) has them in further trouble at 95 for 7, despite runs for Ollie Metcalfe (29) and skipper Paddy Beverland (28). The game changed though with Carson McCullough’s quickfire 47 from 37 balls (5 fours), adding 53 for the 8th wicket with Harry Dyer. A final total of 176 gave the Knights something to bowl at, and they made the perfect start as Dyer accounted for Liam Doherty second ball. Ben Snell and Adam Kennedy removed Marcus Poskitt and Gavin Roulston cheaply to leave the Warriors on 23 for 3. A fourth wicket stand of 88 in 13 overs between Raymond Curry (39) and Scott Macbeth (37) brought them right back into the contest and at 111 for 3 in the 22nd over they were probably favourites. However, the run out of Curry proved the turning point, and with McCullough taking three wickets, the Knights closed out a 17-run win. The sides meet again tomorrow at the same venue in a T20 contest.

A second wicket stand of 110 between Swapnil Modgill and Chris De Freitas powered Lightning Bolts to a 22-run win over Munster Heat at The Mardyke. Merrion opener Modgill top-scored with a rapid 70 off 47 balls (8 fours, 2 sixes), while Balbriggan all-rounder De Freitas made 58 (4 fours, 3 sixes). Clontarf teenager John McNally added late runs as he cleared the ropes three times in a quickfire unbeaten 34 from 16 deliveries. A final total of 192 for 4 looked challenging and even more so after the first over of the reply with Mikey O'Reilly removing Jack Buss and Irish passport holding South African Jordan Neill. The home side rallied though, with Devon Joyce hitting four maximums in an enterprising 47. There were decent cameos too from Eshan O'Sullivan (32*), Shivam Kislay (23) and a pair of 20s for Matty Brewster and Ryan Joyce. Munster finished on 170 for 7 in an entertaining contest. The sides meet again tomorrow at the same venue in a 50 overs game.