The records continued to tumble at Pembroke on the second day of the T20 Inter-provincial Festival with the highest total in the 10 years of the competition and the biggest ever defeat.

Leinster Lightning set the former (260) and North West Warriors were the recipients of the latter (by 128 runs) in the second of two one-sided games, a direct contrast to the thrilling chases on day one.

After losing their first four completed matches this season, Northern Knights made it back-to-back wins yesterday by 99 runs over early pacesetters Munster Reds, although the NCU side are the only team who cannot lift the trophy tonight.

It is set up to be a thrilling finale with Warriors, who play the Reds in the morning match, starting the day four points behind the joint leaders, although a bonus-point victory for Andy McBrine’s side would still see them retain the title if the Knights complete a hat-trick of wins this week against Lightning.

John Matchett transferred his recent superb club form with CIYMS onto the representative stage to hit 83 from 46 balls in a second-wicket stand of 125 with James McCollum, who was out the ball after bringing up his own half-century from 26 balls.

Although Mark Adair was dismissed first ball by Ireland team-mate Curtis Campher, Knights still posted their own highest total of 228 for four and Adair then had Wednesday’s century-maker Murray Commins leg before to the first ball of the innings.

Ruhan Pretorius then had international Gareth Delany caught at long on in his first over and when Adair followed up with the wicket of Tyrone Kane, Reds were eight for three and already it was game over.

The afternoon game followed a similar pattern and encouragingly for Ireland, ahead of their T20 internationals against South Africa next week, Lorcan Tucker, George Dockrell, again, and Harry Tector hit scintillating half-centuries, all at strike rates of over 230.

Tucker was actually the slowest, his 77 taking 33 balls with seven fours and five sixes, Tector hit 10 fours and two sixes in his 58 not out from 23 balls but Dockrell, after his 18-ball 68 on Wednesday against the Reds, was the fastest scorer, with 69 from 26 balls including six fours and sixes.