MATCH ONE

Dragons made an impressive start to the defence of their SS20 title with a 41 runs victory over  their only opponents this year, Typhoons. 

The result was never in doubt once the champions had totalled 189 for five, topped by 61 from Sophie Reid. The Aussie, who has played in the Women’s Big Bash and in the Men’s Irish Cup here on Saturday for Terenure, hit eight fours and a six in her 40-ball innings. 

She was well supported by Alana Dalzell in an opening stand of 82, in just 8.2 overs, and captain Orla Prendergast then chipped in with 40 off just 26 balls. 

Rebecca Stokell and Louise Little gave the Typhoons a solid start with an opening stand of 87 in 10.2 overs but the innings lost its way after that with accurate bowling from spinners Freya Sargent and Lara McBride, the only bowler to take more than one wicket in the match. 

MATCH TWO

What a contrast. 

The players had curry for lunch but the runs still dried up in the second match of the day with many poor strokes contributing to a low-scoring two wickets win for Typhoons. 

Both teams made one change from the morning game with Ava Canning coming in for the Typhoons, in place of Jane Maguire and Genevieve Morrissey the new addition to the Dragons team. 

And it was Canning who proved the main destroyer of the Dragons batting, after Orla Prendergast had elected to again bat first. Canning had figures of four for eight from her four overs, ripping through the powerful middle order of Prendergast, Leah Paul and Sarah Forbes. 

Only openers Alana Dalzell and Sophie Reid reached 15 and it was the same again in the second innings as Typhoons stumbled over the line. 

Georgina Dempsey finally broke the 15 runs barrier but she was run out just short of the finish line. 

Arlene Kelly sneaked a five-wicket haul, but the Dragons had too few runs to play with. So it’s 1-1 heading to the next two games in Pembroke next Sunday.