Dragons successfully defend Super 3's crown

Despite two losses in the final round of the competition, Dragons, captained by Mary Waldron, successfully defended their crown in the Ireland Super 3’s on Sunday (July 28). This is the third time they have won the competition in four years.

Dragons finished at the top of the table with 11 points, while Typhoons were second with seven points.

Match 1: Typhoons vs Dragons

In the opening encounter of the day, Typhoons defeated Dragons by four wickets in the YMCA Sports Ground in Dublin. Leah Paul starred with the bat remaining unbeaten on 64 to guide her team to a challenging total of 132 for 6 in 20 overs.

Paul was well supported by Naomi Matthews who compiled a 25-ball 31 before she was run-out by Rachel Delaney. The pair shared a valuable 68-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

In pursuit of 133, Dragons lost Waldron early with the score on six. However, Kerry-Anne Tomlinson and Rachel Delaney strung together a vital 93-run stand to keep their team in the game.

Despite the partnership, Typhoons bowlers kept the scoring rate in check, keeping the pair under a run-a-ball which eventually worked against Dragons. When the pair fell within the space of 17 runs— Tomlinson for 44, and Delaney for 46— there was too much left for the middle order to do. Lara Maritz tried her best with an unbeaten 10-ball 19, but it was too little too late as Typhoons snuck home by three runs.

Brief scores: Typhoons 132/6 in 20 overs (Leah Paul 64*, Naomi Matthews 31; Lara Maritz 2-16, Jane Maguire 2-23) beat Dragons 129/3 in 20 overs (Rachel Delaney 46, Kerry-Anne Tomlinson 44) by three runs.

Match 2: Typhoons vs Scorchers

Scorchers handed Typhoons a five-wicket defeat in the second match of the day. Shauna Kavanagh’s 43-ball 60 guided Scorches home with seven balls to spare.

Chasing 156 Scorchers got off to a solid start with Gaby Lewis (23) and Rebecca Stokell (32) sharing a 33-run opening partnership. The loss of Lewis didn’t deter Scorchers’ pursuit of the target as Stokell and Kavanagh added 77 runs.

Typhoons mounted a fightback, taking the next four wickets in the space of 34 runs. However, Isobel Joyce held her nerve in the closing stages, to take Scorchers over the line. The veteran finished unbeaten on 23 off 13 deliveries with three fours and one six.

Earlier in the day, Typhoons rode on an opening stand worth 72 between Leah Paul (47) and Naomi Matthews. Matthews, the aggressor, smashed two sixes en route to a 27-ball 32. While Paul held the innings together at one end, Laura Delaney (32) and N Walsh (20) stepped on the accelerator to take their team to a total of 155 for 4.

Brief scores: Typhoons 155/4 in 20 overs (Leah Paul 47, Laura Delany 32, Maoni Matthews 32) lost to Scorchers 156/5 in 18.5 overs (Shauna Kavanagh 60, Rebecca Stokell 32; C Stephens 2-36) by five wickets.

Match 3: Scorchers vs Dragons

Scorchers maintained their unbeaten run through the day, defeating eventual champions, Dragons by 43 runs on Sunday. Gaby Lewis starred with a 20-ball 45, dominating the opening stand 69 with Rebecca Stokell.

Lewis’ dismissal did little to curtail Scorchers’ run rate as Stokell picked up the baton, smashing seven fours in her knock of 47. She shared an important 65-run stand with Shauna Kavanagh for the second wicket as Scorchers cantered to a total of 189 for 6 in 20 overs.

Dragons’ chase got off to a stuttering start when Lara Maritz was dismissed for 11. Scorchers continued to chip away at the wickets— finding a breakthrough every time Dragons began to form a partnership.

Mary Wladron (43) and Kerry-Anne Tomlinson (32) fought hard, but to no avail as Dragons fell well short of the target. They were restricted to 146 for 7 courtesy two wickets each from C Murray and B Devchanz.

Brief scores: Scorchers 189/6 in 20 overs (Rebecca Stokell 47, Gaby Lewis 45) beat Dragons 146/7 in 20 overs (Mary Waldron 43, Kerry-Anne Tomlinson 32;  B Devchanz 2-17, Cara Murray 2-25)