Captain Charlene Taitt hit an unbeaten half-century as Sagicor UWI Blackbirds turned the tide on Angela Harris Tridents with a four-wicket win in the opening game of the 2015 BCA Iris Walker Memorial Women’s Limited Overs Tournament at KMV Oval on Saturday.
Already on the backfoot with two players short and a line-up which looked woefully short of batting, Tridents managed 136 off 31 overs after winning the toss.
Not even a stubborn knock of 28 off 71 balls including two fours by opener Danielle Small, who was joined by Shamilia Connell, who top scored with 29 in a fourth wicket partnership of 35 could aid Tridents, whose total was boosted by 56 extras.
The main destroyer was former team-mate and West Indies player Deandra Dottin who took three for 40 off nine overs. There were two wickets each for Shelly-Ann Watson and newcomer Tony Autherly.
Blackbirds had a fairly steady start of 33 in 7.1 overs between Rashida Goring and Ashli Antoine before losing two wickets in successive balls from Shalite Lopez. Goring was brilliantly caught one-handed to her left by a leaping Shanika Bruce for 17 and Reshelle Griffith was comprehensively bowled.
Eight runs later Dottin fell for six.
With the fall of these wickets Tridents were cock-a-hoop but were then let down by a couple of dropped catches.
Taitt had different ideas as she joined Antoine at the crease and they added another 11 runs before Antoine who had put up a bit of resistance, gave Shamilia Connell her only wicket, caught in the deep by Isobella Burnham for 11.
With the score on 70, after the fall of Shonna Evelyn for 12, Taitt went into another gear and she and Shelly-Ann Watson (23) put together a 62-run sixth wicket partnership.
Taitt scored 53 not out off 64 balls with four boundaries.
Shalite Lopez was the pick of the bowlers with three for 36 off seven overs.