Eimear Richardson stars on final day, Scorchers take Super20 series 4-1

A sensational collapse led by Ava Canning followed by an all-round performance by Eimear Richardson were the highlights of the two matches played on Sunday (August 15) at the North Kildare Cricket Club as Scorchers claimed the Super20 Series against Typhoons by 4-1.



In the first match of the day, Scorchers won the toss, and bowling first, had to deal with the patient opening partnership of 20 runs between Louise Little and Rebecca Stokell. Orla Prendergast at four then hit two sixes off Richardson to take Typhoons past fifty. Once Prendergast fell trying to repeat her feat in the 13th over against Cara Murray, Typhoons were 55 for five. They lost their next five wickets for just 23 runs and were all out for 79 in the final over.



In reply, Scorchers reduced Typhoons to six for 16 even before the power play was over. Canning was the destroyer-in-chief as she removed Caoimhe McCann, Richardson and Lara Maritz, who managed to score only four runs among themselves. She was supported by Celeste Raack and captain Laura Delany, who took two wickets each. Typhoons had no answers to Scorchers bowling attack on a slow wicket, and Scorchers won their first match of the series by 59 runs.



The second match of the day saw Richardson at her all-round best as she scored 38 runs and took four wickets to break the back of the Typhoon chase. Batting first, Scorchers were in a little spot of bother when they lost openers, Sophie MacMahon and McCann, before the end of the power play.



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When Richardson joined Paul at the crease in the eighth over, Scorchers were 28 for three. She formed a partnership of 32 runs with Paul, followed by a quick partnership of 29 runs with Maritz to take Scorchers to 95 for five by the end of the innings.



Richardson had a day to remember as she removed Typhoon opener, Stokell, with her first ball of the match. Maritz joined the party as she took two wickets in three balls, with the chasing side struggling at 39 for three by the end of the 11th over. Richardson then sent back Amy Hunter for six.



MacMahon took back-to-back wickets in the 19th over to effectively end the misery for Typhoons, and Richardson then came back to seal the series 4-1 with her two wickets in the final over. None of the Typhoons batters got the opportunity to get set other than Mary Waldron (28), and they lost the final match of the series by 18 runs.



Brief Scores



Match 4: Typhoons 78 all out in 19.4 Overs (Orla Prendergast 19, Louise Little 12; Eimear Richardson 4/21) beat Scorchers 19 all out in 9.5 Overs (Leah Paul 8, Shauna Kavanagh 4; Ava Canning 3-9) by 59 runs



Match 5: Scorchers 95/5 in 20 Overs (Eimear Richardson 38, Leah Paul 23; Laura Delany 1/17) beat Typhoons 77 all out in 19.3 Overs (Mary Waldron 28, Laura Delany 15; Eimear Richardson 4/11) by 18 runs