After finishing runners-up on several occasions to Spice Girls and then Moosai Sports over its existence, Preysal Phoenix Women Cricket Club won the Trinidad and Tobago Women Cricket Association (TTWCA) Premiership 2015 title in a most emphatic manner.
Captain Shenelle Lord led the team formed in 2003 to its first league title by winning all ten matches and amassing maximum 30 points.
Until 2015, the premiership championship was the only title that the club had not added to its trophies cupboard. The club has had successes in all the other TTWCA competitions–Sixes, 30 Overs Knock-out and T20.
An all-round strategic team effort of bowling, fielding and batting was at the core of the team's success. On five occasions they dismissed their opponents for less than 100. Additionally, they were dismissed only once in ten innings which was in their last match.
The batting was led by West Indian players Britney Cooper, and Merissa Aguilleira, Felicia 'Jamie' Walters and Reneice Boyce. Britney Cooper amassed a total of 434 runs at a staggering average of 108.5.
She shared in an unbroken second wicket partnership of 303 with Felicia Walters (104 not out), unbeaten on 191 in their 9th round match. Merissa Aguilleira, heads off to Sri Lanka at the helm of the West Indies team brimming with confidence having scored 344 runs, including three scores over 50 at an average of 49.14.
Felicia Walters also amassed 296 runs at an average of 42.28 forming a solid opening partnership with Aguilleira. National Under 19 player, Reneice Boyce did herself no disfavour scoring 131 runs at an average of 32.75 in her five visits to the crease.
The downside of the top four batting dominance was the limited opportunity the other players had in the middle. This might be a challenge in the remaining competitions as Aguilleira and Cooper take up international duty.
A combination of medium pace and spin was at the heart of the bowling attack. Stephanie Ramcharan, 17 wickets at an average of 8.23 and Samantha Bissoon, 17 wickets at an average of 10.29, formed a formidable new ball attack and were consistently responsible for putting their opponents on their back-foot with regular early wickets. They were supported by Shernella Townsend 8 wickets at an average of 13.
National Under 19 player off-spinner Leandra Ramdeen was the leading wicket taker with 24 wickets at an average of 7.83. She was consistently among the wickets and had the only five-wicket haul of five for 13 in the first round. Felicia Walters emphasised her importance as an all-round player taking 12 wickets at an average of 13.50. She also grabbed the only hat-trick in the league in the seventh round.
Overall, Lord's captaincy was seemingly easy with the performances of the leading batters and bowlers which was complemented by the effort of Tramaine Edwards, Sarha Amerkersingh, Khadisha Rahim and Melanie Henry.
Coaches Eldon Ramadin and John Trumpet played their part by offering technical support. Equally important was the role of manageress Joanne Townsend and scorer Chandra Ramdeen.
Despite a team drawn from players from different geographical spaces, the general support from family and friends was always strong, positive and unwavering. Overwhelmingly the players and supporters put the team first before any personal narrow-minded egotistic objectives. An example of this was consistently shown by Sarha Amerkersingh who was prepared to carry drinks on most occasions without complaints, as the team was seen as most important.
As the 2 West Indian players who were the leading run getters leave for international duty, the team will be challenged to continue its winning ways in the 30 Overs Knock-Out and T20 competitions for which they are the respective defending champions. The elusive league win can serve as a major motivator to defending their two titles and doing the clean sweep. On the other hand it can distract them to releasing their grips on the titles to any of their competitive arch rivals. In due course their performances will be their final determinants.