Opener Hayley Matthews played some classy shots and off-break spinner Karishma Ramharack was effective down at the bowling end to help Trident Sports Phoenix seal a huge eight-wicket win in their opening match of the T&T Women's Cricket Association (TTWCA) Courts Twenty20 (T20) Grand Slam Tournament.
This was on Tuesday night and the West Indies Women's star player produced a leading 36 runs and claimed two wickets for 10 runs and Ramharack had the best bowling figures of with 3-9, to see Phoenix easily past the UDECOTT North Starblazers at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine.
It was the lone match played on the opening night in the third edition of the competition as the match between Novel Sports Southern Titans and LCB Contractors Central Sharks did not play due to a waterlogged field at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva.
In St Augustine though, Matthews was later named the "Player of the Match" for her all-round performance after her team won the toss and put the Starblazers in to bat.
Opening pair Reniece Boyce and Rachel Vincent were going along well until the match's top wicket-taker, Ramharack struck, bowling Boyce for 11 to leave Starblazers at 30 for 1.
Natasha McClean then entered and she made a quick exit after being run out by Kyshona Knight adding just one run. Selene O'Neil was next at the wicket and spent an even shorter time at the crease as she was caught leg-before (lbw) by Ramharack without adding to the score.
The middle-order continued to crumble as Jodian Morgan put up nine before she was caught off the bowling of Steffie Soogrim to leave Starblazers reeling at 47-4.
On the other end though, Vincent was doing her utmost best to get her team to reasonable score and combined well with next batter in, Leeann O'Brien. They added 19 runs before Vincent was removed by Ramharack after being caught by Matthews on 29.
The next three batsmen Amanda Samaroo (6), Erva Giddings (0) and Kaysia Schultz (1) added only seven runs to Starblazers' tally at the end of the 20 overs.
In reply, Matthews helped Phoenix successfully chased down the target of 96-2 in 14.5 overs. The opener spent 49 minutes at the crease and struck two sixes and three fours in her total.
Rosalie Dolabaille also showed that she was capable with bat, scoring a second-best 33 in the lopsided affair.
Best among the bowlers for Starblazers was Allison Collins (1-24) and Schultz (1/18).
At NCC, Titans and Sharks shared the points due to their cancelled opening match. On Friday, both teams will be back on the field with Titans facing Starblazers at UWI and Sharks versus Phoenix at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) in Tarouba. Both matches bowl off at 7 pm.
SCORES
Starblazers 94/7 (20 overs) (R Vincent 29, L Kirby 26; H Matthews 2-10, K Ramharack 3-9, S Soogrim 1-16) vs Phoenix 96/2 (14.5 overs) (H Matthews 36, R Dolabaille 33; Allison Collins 1-24, Kaysia Schultz 1/18). Phoenix won by 8 wickets.
Matches
Tomorrow
Starblazers vs Titans, UWI, 7 pm
Sharks vs Phoenix, BLCA, 7 pm
Saturday
Sharks vs Titans, NCC, Couva, 7 pm
Starblazers vs Phoeniz, UWI, St Augustine, 7 pm