Scorchers seal win despite Louise Little's five-wicket haul for Typhoons

Louise Little’s five-wicket haul went in vain as forties from Leah Paul, Shauna Kavanagh and Jenny Sparrow was enough for Scorchers to keep Typhoons at bay for the second successive time in three matches in the Women’s Super 50 series at the Oak Hill Club Ground in Wicklow on Sunday (August 16).

The Typhoons were chasing 260 after inserting the opposition in. They got off to the best possible start with openers Rebecca Stokell (36) and Sarah Forbes (28) looking steady and positive. The pair added 72 inside 14 overs, before the former was knocked over by Kate McEvoy. That followed a couple of quick wickets, including that of captain Laura Delany, who was run out for 11.

However, the experienced Orla Prendergast briefly arrested the slide along with Louise. But yet again, Typhoons lost Louise (12) and Prendergast (32) within 20 runs of one another to find themselves in a precarious position in the chase.

That brought Rebecca Gough and Zara Craig together, who resurrected the hunt. In the ensuing they mixed caution with aggression, helping Typhoons inch closer. They strung a 77-run partnership in 89 balls, before Hannah Little managed to see the back of Gough for 46.

That left Typhoons needing 27 in the last three overs with four wickets in hand.

But McEvoy and Anna Kerrison kept it tight in the last three overs, picking up two wickets in the process, including Craig (33), and ensured Scorchers, who had lost the first match, won by 23 runs.

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Earlier, Paul and Tess Maritz put on 58 together for the opening wicket for Scorchers before Louise struck by removing the latter. Paul carried on, strung 42 runs with Sophie MacMahon (18) and made 48 before being trapped in front of the sticks by Celeste Raack.

It was then that Kavanagh and Sparrow got together. The duo got themselves in and added 73 runs for the fourth wicket. Both of them made 41 runs each before Louise struck twice in two overs to send them back. In the interim, Georgina Dempsey had cleaned up Clíodhna O’Reardon, which meant, Scorchers had barely touched 200 and were left with only four wickets and 14 overs to see off.

Thanks to Sarah White (20) and Hannah (17 not out), Scorchers made it past 250 before eventually being bowled out. Louise completed her fifer by picking up two wickets in the final over of the innings. However, because of Typhoons’ slow over-rate, they were penalised and the Scorchers were awarded six runs.

Brief Scores: Scorchers 259 all out in 49.5 overs (Leah Paul 48, Shauna Kavanagh 41, Jenny Sparrow 41; Louise Little 5/42) beat Typhoons 236/8 in 50 overs (Rebecca Gough 46, Rebecca Stokell 36, Zara Craig 33; Kate McEvoy 3/36) by 23 runs.