{{short description|Cricket tournament}} {{use dmy dates|date=February 2018}} {{Infobox cricket tournament | name = 2018 Inter-Provincial Championship | image = | caption = | fromdate = {{start date|2018|5|1|df=y}} | todate = {{end date|2018|9|6|df=yes}} | administrator = Cricket Ireland | cricket format = First-class | tournament format = Round-robin | champions = North West Warriors | count = 1 | participants = 3 | matches = 6 | attendance = | player of the series = | most runs = William Porterfield (458) | most wickets = David Scanlon (19) | previous_year = 2017 | previous_tournament = 2017 Inter-Provincial Championship | next_year = 2019 | next_tournament = 2019 Inter-Provincial Championship }}
The '''2018 Inter-Provincial Championship''' was the sixth edition of the Inter-Provincial Championship, a first-class cricket competition played in Ireland. It was held from 1 May to 6 September 2018.<ref name="dates">{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/hanley-energy-inter-provincial-fixtures-released-for-2018 |title=Hanley Energy Inter-Provincial Fixtures released for 2018 |accessdate=24 February 2018 |work=Cricket Ireland}}</ref> It was the second edition of the competition to be played with first-class status. Leinster Lightning were the defending champions.<ref name="defend">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/41181862 |title=Leinster Lightning win Three Day Inter-pro title for fifth straight year |accessdate=7 September 2017 | work=BBC Sport}}</ref> The venue for the opening fixture, originally scheduled to take place at Oak Hill Cricket Club Ground, was moved to Pembroke Cricket Club, due to poor weather.<ref name="opening">{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/venue-change-for-first-game-of-inter-provincial-championships |title=Venue change for first game of Inter-Provincial Championships |accessdate=26 April 2018 | work=Cricket Ireland}}</ref>
Seventeen of Ireland's international players took part in the opening fixture of the tournament, ahead of Ireland's first Test match, which was played against Pakistan on 11 May 2018.<ref name="InterPro">{{cite web |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/672715 |title=Boyd Rankin hits Irish first-class circuit ahead of historic Test |accessdate=27 April 2018 |work=International Cricket Council}}</ref><ref name="InterPro2">{{cite web |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/677274 |title=O'Brien brothers in good nick as Ireland get ready for Pakistan Test |accessdate=4 May 2018 |work=International Cricket Council}}</ref>
North West Warriors won the tournament, following the conclusion of the fifth match of the competition.<ref name="NWW">{{cite web|url=http://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/north-west-warriors-crowned-2018-hanley-energy-inter-provincial-championshi |title=North West Warriors crowned 2018 Hanley Energy Inter-Provincial Championship winners |work=Cricket Ireland |accessdate=19 July 2018}}</ref> They beat Northern Knights by 140 runs to give them an unassailable lead.<ref name="NWW"/> It was the first time that a side other than Leinster Lightning had won the tournament.<ref name="NWW"/>
==Points table== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! style="width:250px"|Team<ref name="Points">{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/table/series/11082/season/2018/ire-pro-champs |title=Points Table |publisher=ESPN Cricinfo |accessdate=6 September 2018}}</ref> !width="20"|{{Tooltip | Pld | Played}} !width="20"|{{Tooltip | W | Won}} !width="20"|{{Tooltip | L | Lost}} !width="20"|{{Tooltip | D | Drawn}} !width="20"|{{Tooltip | Pts | Points}} |- style="background:#cfc" |style="text-align:left;"|North West Warriors | 4 || 2 || 0 || 2 || '''64''' |- | style="text-align:left;"|Leinster Lightning | 4 || 1 || 0 || 3 || '''49''' |- |style="text-align:left;"|Northern Knights | 4 || 0 || 3 || 1 || '''24''' |} {{Color box|#cfc|border=darkgray}} Champions
==Fixtures== ===1st match=== {{Two-innings cricket match | date = 1–3 May 2018 | team1 = North West Warriors | team2 = Leinster Lightning (H) | score-team1-inns1 = 509/9d (137 overs) | runs-team1-inns1 = Niall O'Brien 165 (294) | wickets-team1-inns1 = George Dockrell 3/120 (29 overs)
| score-team2-inns1 = 286 (86 overs) | runs-team2-inns1 = Andrew Balbirnie 114* (238) | wickets-team2-inns1 = Craig Young 3/49 (17 overs)
| score-team1-inns2 = | runs-team1-inns2 = | wickets-team1-inns2 =
| score-team2-inns2 = 227/7 (76 overs) (f/o) | runs-team2-inns2 = Jack Tector 53 (95) | wickets-team2-inns2 = David Scanlon 2/39 (14 overs)
| venue = Pembroke Cricket Club, Dublin | toss = Leinster Lightning won the toss and elected to field. | umpires = Paul Reynolds and Azam Baig | motm = | rain = | report = [http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1136901.html Scorecard] | result = Match drawn | notes = Stuart Thompson (North West Warriors) scored his maiden first-class century.<ref name="Thompson100">{{cite news |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/thompson-makes-test-case-with-stunning-unbeaten-century-36864935.html |title=Thompson makes Test case with stunning unbeaten century |accessdate=2 May 2018 |work=Belfast Telegraph|date=2 May 2018 }}</ref> *Points: North West Warriors 11, Leinster Lightning 6. }}
===2nd match=== {{Two-innings cricket match | date = 29–31 May 2018 | team1 = Northern Knights | team2 = Leinster Lightning (H) | score-team1-inns1 = 263 (87.3 overs) | runs-team1-inns1 = James McCollum 87 (190) | wickets-team1-inns1 = Peter Chase 3/38 (11.3 overs)
| score-team2-inns1 = 268 (95.4 overs) | runs-team2-inns1 = John Anderson 66 (150) | wickets-team2-inns1 = Harry Tector 3/28 (11 overs)
| score-team1-inns2 = 272/5d (62 overs) | runs-team1-inns2 = James McCollum 84 (134) | wickets-team1-inns2 = Simi Singh 3/39 (12 overs)
| score-team2-inns2 = 268/5 (59 overs) | runs-team2-inns2 = John Anderson 123* (164) | wickets-team2-inns2 = James Cameron-Dow 2/72 (22)
| venue = The Green, Comber | toss = Northern Knights won the toss and elected to bat. | umpires = Jareth McCready and Azam Baig | motm = | rain = | report = [http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1136902.html Scorecard] | result = Leinster Lightning won by 5 wickets | notes = Marc Ellison, Harry Tector, Neil Rock, James Cameron-Dow, James Magee (Northern Knights), Jarred Barnes (Leinster Lightning) all made their first-class debuts. *Points: Leinster Lightning 23, Northern Knights 7. }}
===3rd match=== {{Two-innings cricket match | date = 20–22 June 2018 | team1 = North West Warriors (H) | team2 = Leinster Lightning | score-team1-inns1 = 80 (39 overs) | runs-team1-inns1 = David Rankin 16 (41) | wickets-team1-inns1 = Peter Chase 5/24 (11 overs)
| score-team2-inns1 = 273 (70.4 overs) | runs-team2-inns1 = George Dockrell 92 (126) | wickets-team2-inns1 = David Scanlon 4/70 (18.4 overs)
| score-team1-inns2 = 460/9 (175 overs) | runs-team1-inns2 = William Porterfield 207 (442) | wickets-team1-inns2 = Andrew Balbirnie 3/50 (23 overs)
| score-team2-inns2 = | runs-team2-inns2 = | wickets-team2-inns2 =
| venue = Bready Cricket Club Ground, Bready | toss = Leinster Lightning won the toss and elected to field. | umpires = Graeme McCrea and Steve Wood | motm = | rain = | report = [http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1136903.html Scorecard] | result = Match drawn | notes = Graham Kennedy (North West Warriors), Stephen Doheny and Josh Little (Leinster Lightning) all made their first-class debuts. *Points: Leinster Lightning 10, North West Warriors 7. }}
===4th match=== {{Two-innings cricket match | date = 2–4 July 2018 | team1 = Northern Knights | team2 = North West Warriors (H) | score-team1-inns1 = 250 (81.3 overs) | runs-team1-inns1 = James McCollum 116 (230) | wickets-team1-inns1 = Craig Young 3/62 (19 overs)
| score-team2-inns1 = 446 (128.1 overs) | runs-team2-inns1 = Andy McBrine 77 (178) | wickets-team2-inns1 = James Cameron-Dow 5/101 (35 overs)
| score-team1-inns2 = 209 (87.5 overs) | runs-team1-inns2 = Christopher Dougherty 74 (181) | wickets-team1-inns2 = Craig Young 5/60 (21.5 overs)
| score-team2-inns2 = 15/0 (1.3 overs) | runs-team2-inns2 = William Porterfield 4* (6) | wickets-team2-inns2 =
| venue = The Green, Comber | toss = Northern Knights won the toss and elected to bat first. | umpires = Alan Neill and Philip Thompson | motm = | rain = | report = [http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1136904.html Scorecard] | result = North West Warriors won by 10 wickets | notes = Points: North West Warriors 24, Northern Knights 6. }}
===5th match=== {{Two-innings cricket match | date = 17–19 July 2018 | team1 = North West Warriors | team2 = Northern Knights (H) | score-team1-inns1 = 226 (65.5 overs) | runs-team1-inns1 = Niall O'Brien 45 (64) | wickets-team1-inns1 = James McCollum 5/32 (10 overs)
| score-team2-inns1 = 188 (62.2 overs) | runs-team2-inns1 = Marc Ellison 65 (136) | wickets-team2-inns1 = David Scanlon 5/63 (17 overs)
| score-team1-inns2 = 303/7d (64 overs) | runs-team1-inns2 = William Porterfield 152 (174) | wickets-team1-inns2 = Harry Tector 4/70 (18 overs)
| score-team2-inns2 = 201 (57.2 overs) | runs-team2-inns2 = James McCollum 48 (65) | wickets-team2-inns2 = Andy McBrine 4/35 (16 overs)
| venue = Bready Cricket Club Ground, Bready | toss = Northern Knights won the toss and elected to field. | umpires = Graeme McCrea and Michael Foster | motm = | rain = | report = [http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1136905.html Scorecard] | result = North West Warriors won by 140 runs | notes = Aaron Wright and Matthew McCord (Northern Knights) both made their first-class debuts. *Points: North West Warriors 22, Northern Knights 5. }}
===6th match=== {{Two-innings cricket match | date = 4–6 September 2018 | team1 = Northern Knights | team2 = Leinster Lightning (H) | score-team1-inns1 = 440/9d (109.3 overs) | runs-team1-inns1 = James McCollum 93 (145) | wickets-team1-inns1 = Simi Singh 3/75 (28 overs)
| score-team2-inns1 = 448/7 (125 overs) | runs-team2-inns1 = Jack Tector 87 (180) | wickets-team2-inns1 = James Cameron-Dow 2/92 (30 overs)
| score-team1-inns2 = | runs-team1-inns2 = | wickets-team1-inns2 =
| score-team2-inns2 = | runs-team2-inns2 = | wickets-team2-inns2 =
| venue = Malahide Cricket Club Ground, Malahide | toss = Northern Knights won the toss and elected to bat. | umpires = Jonathan Kennedy and Paul Reynolds | motm = | rain = | report = [http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1136906.html Scorecard] | result = Match drawn | notes = }}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * [http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/series/1136894.html Series home at ESPN Cricinfo]
{{Inter-Provincial Championship}} {{Interprovincials}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2018 Inter-Provincial Championship}} Inter Category:Inter-Provincial Championship seasons