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The Dragons crowned 2019 Toyota Super 3s champions!

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Coming into the last round of the competition, the Dragons had been undefeated throughout. Despite two losses on the last day of the competition, the defending champions lifted the trophy and became the first side to claim back-to-back titles.
On the final day of the Super 3 competition played in YMCA Cricket Club, there were some extremely tight finishes on offer as the Scorchers managed to get two wins on the board from their final two fixtures. However, it was the Dragons who claimed the title for 2019.

Typhoons vs Dragons

In the opening game of the day it was Laura Delany and the Typhoons who won the toss and elected to bat first. Leah Paul, who had such a prosperous time of things midweek for the Irish Academy side, was advertising her good form with a brilliant knock. After getting to 28 without loss, a sudden clump of wickets left the Typhoons at 36-3, Jane Maguire taking the two key wickets of Una Raymond-Hoey and Delany. However, Naomi Matthews came in to join Paul and they immediately set about firstly rebuilding the innings, and then trying to up the scoring rate to post a good score.

Matthews departed for 31 and there were two more late wickets as the Typhoons desperately sought quick late runs, finishing their innings on 132-6. Leah Paul ending on 64* which included ten fours, it was a fine knock to anchor and build the innings. Lara Maritz (2-16) and Jane Maguire (2-23) were the pick of the bowlers used by the Dragons.

The Dragons chase of 133 didn’t start well as Mary Waldron fell in the second over for 5. Yet, they looked in a good position for the majority of the run chase with Kerry Tomlinson and Rachel Delaney at the crease. They both kept the scoreboard ticking along, but they never managed to quite get ahead of the rate. Tomlinson departed for a run-a-ball 44 and Delaney departed for 46, when she was run out.

They need quick runs at 116-3 with just two overs left. Despite a quickfire 19* from 10 balls, the Dragons fell three runs short in their chase, the Typhoons doing extremely well to restrict them to 129-3 from their 20 overs. All of the Typhoons bowling was tight, but it was perhaps a crucial spell of 1-5 from 2 overs from Sarah Condron, which included the big wicket of Tomlinson, that was the key at a very important time in the run chase.

• Dragons v Typhoons (see scorecard)

Image: The Typhoons set the pace early and held on for a dramatic 3-run win

Typhoons vs Scorchers

The Typhoons won the toss again in the second T20 of the day and just like the first, they opted to bat first. It was the two main contributors from the first game that opened up, with Leah Paul and Naomi Matthews putting on a very good opening stand. Matthews in particular took the aggressive route, clearing the ropes twice in her 32 from 27 balls. Another quick wicket brought Delany to the crease and both her and Paul continued to advance the score. Paul didn’t quite make it through to her second half-century of the day, as she fell for 47 with the score on 115-4.

They needed a last little push for late innings runs, and they got exactly that with Delany getting 32 from 24 balls and Niamh Walsh contributing 20* from 14 balls as the Typhoons got up to a highly respectable 155-4 from their allocation of overs. Amy Kenealy was the pick of the bowlers with 1-27 from her 4 overs.

For the Scorchers to have any chance of chasing down this total, they had to start well and with plenty of intent. They did just that with Gaby Lewis and Rebecca Stokell putting down an early marker of intent with plenty of early boundaries. Lewis was the first to go with the score on 33, but not before scoring 23 from just 14 deliveries. Stokell was then joined by Captain, Shauna Kavanagh, and she was in superb touch with the bat. Stokell and Kavanagh continued to press the Typhoons in the field, regularly finding the boundary in amongst quick and forceful running between the wickets. Stokell departed for an over a run ball 32, but the Scorchers were already up to 110-2. Kavanagh then departed for 60, which was made off 43 balls.

The Scorchers at this stage might have been slightly concerned that a wobble may ensue. However, they had Isobel Joyce to steer the side home, she contributed a vital 23* from 13 balls to get the Scorchers over the line by five wickets with seven balls remaining. Cassie Stephens took two wickets with the ball for the Typhoons but unlike the first game, they didn’t quite have enough to defend their total.

• Typhoons v Scorchers (see scorecard)

Scorchers vs Dragons

In the final game of the day and the Super 3 season, it was Shauna Kavanagh and the Scorchers who won the toss and had no hesitation in choosing to bat first. Once again, they got off to a brilliant start with Lewis and Stokell putting unrelenting pressure on the Dragons bowling attack. They were both extremely destructive, with Lewis striking ten boundaries in her 45 from just 20 deliveries. When Ava Canning dismissed Lewis, the Dragons must have been hoping for some tight overs, but it wasn’t to come.

Kavanagh came in and took off straight from where she was in the first game, continuing with Stokell and the runs continued to flow. Stokell (47) and Kavanagh (36) both fell in quick succession. Yet, it was similar to the first game and Isobel Joyce (21) came in to give the innings that little bit of impatis required to get the Scorchers up to a large score. Their final total of 189-6 was a massive score even on the brilliant pitch that had been prepared by YMCA. In amongst the carnage, Jenny Sparrow bowled superbly well for her 1-15 from 4 overs.

Chasing 190 was never going to be an easy task for the Dragons, so they sent in Lara Maritz to open with Mary Waldron to try get off to a good start. Waldron started very well but lost Maritz and then Rachel Delaney in the first powerplay, as the Dragons were reduced to 40-2. Kerry Tomlinson came to join Waldron, and they both batted well, but the run rate was constantly climbing. Tomlinson had made it to 32 before she departed and the last chance was Waldron, who when she fell for 43, was the final straw for the Dragons.

The Dragons finished their innings on 146-7, falling 33 runs short in the run chase. The bowling from the Scorchers was good and restricting with Bhavi Devchand taking 2-19 and Cara Murray taking 2-25 as the pick of the bowlers and ensured a very satisfying day for the Scorchers and their coach, Andrew Poynter.

• Scorchers v Dragons (see scorecard)

Winners

Despite losing out in both games yesterday, it was the Dragons who secured the Toyota Super 3s title for the 2019 season, benefiting greatly by some top performances early in the season. Their side was well very captained by Mary Waldron, with Clare Shillington excelling in her player/coach role within the side. The Dragons had a brilliant blend of good experience alongside some very exciting young talent, which showed throughout the 2019 season and should leave them in very good stead going forward.

The winning Dragons squad

Mary Waldron captained the Dragons side