Dragons leapfrogged Scorchers to resume their position at the top of the table with a century from Orla Prendergast the key to their 46 runs win at Oak Hill.

Prendergast paced her innings superbly, scoring her first 50 from 64 balls with just four boundaries but her second 50 came up in 51 balls with seven fours and the only surprise was when she played a false stroke 16 runs later, having added another two boundaries.

Orla Prendergast was the Dragons matchwinner

There were still nine overs left for Dragons on her dismissal but instead of reaching 300, as always looked likely, they managed only another 50 runs with Alan Dalzell giving her wicket away looking for an impossible single to get off the mark.

Dragons had to be content with a total of 284 for seven, with Amy Hunter scoring 62, Arlene Kelly 41 and Cara Murray 26 at better than a run-a-ball. Ava Canning was the leading wicket-taker for Scorchers despite bowling only nine overs at a cost of 47, while Lou Little’s 10 went for 75.  Sophie McMahon and Lara McBride, their two most economical bowlers were given only 15 between them.

When Gaby Lewis started off in a rush for Scorchers, the Dragons total looked vulnerable. The Ireland captain brought up her 50 out of a total of 76 and had scored 67 of the first 100 but four wickets had already fallen at the other end and it already looked like a lone rearguard.

Nine runs short of what have been a very classy century – she had hit 15 boundaries - Lewis missed a pull shot off Dalzell and with her, it appeared, went Scorchers last hope of winning the match.

McMahon, tried her best, taking advantage of a life on 14 to score 42 off 45 balls, including the first six of the day but she skied Bella Armstrong to  the keeper with the total on only 201 and a few defiant late blows from Karina Bell were not nearly enough.

Dalzell was the most impressive bowler, finishing with four for 32 and Dragons did not even need Prendergast’s bowling, three overs at the start for one run, and didn’t return. But Orla had already done her job.

Dragons can take a huge stride to the title next Sunday, when they meet Typhoons back at Oak Hill, three days before the probable decider against Scorchers at Lisburn.