Cricket: Central out for revenge as T20 returns to Bay

There will be plenty of smash and bash cricket action in Rotorua tomorrow with the return of the Baywide Lone Star Twenty 20 (T20) competition.

Central will want to go one step further in this season's cricketing spectacular at Ray Boord and Smallbone Park tomorrow.

The Baywide T20 competition was introduced last year, with the competition played whenever the Bay of Plenty representative team were in action in two-day Fergus Hickey Rosebowl matches.

Last season, Tauranga Boys' College beat Central in the final of the inaugural Lone Star T20 championship.

Batting first, Tauranga Boys posted a defendable target when they reached 163/5 at the end of their 20 overs. Tauranga Boys mentors Mark Orchard (47) and Charles Williams (39) anchored their side's innings, with Tom MacRury (29) also making a useful contribution. Ben Watkinson took three wickets for the Rotorua side.

The Central turn at bat was punctuated by the coming and going of their batsmen to the crease, as they were dismissed for just 68. Peter Wood was a shining beacon at one end, the Central skipper finishing with a solid 42 to his name.

Tauranga Boys young bowlers were in rampant form with Henry Conway leading the way with four wickets. Tom McRury finished with 3/33 while Tom Clout took two wickets at a cost of just 12 runs.

Two of the young heroes of Tauranga Boys' T20 championship victory, in Tom MacRury and Henry Conway, will be in action on Saturday when the college start their title defence. Tauranga Boys will square off against Baywide heavyweight Cadets in their first encounter in the Sulphur City before facing another stern challenge against Mount Maunganui in round two.

Central, who can trace their origins back many decades, will relish playing their two T20 encounters on familiar territory at Smallbone and Boord parks. Central meets Mount Maunganui in their early afternoon game, before backing up in a Rotorua derby with Bay of Plenty Indians in round two.

The surprise package in this season's T20 competition could be East Bay United. The Eastern Bay side have made a grand start to the Baywide Cup, winning their last two encounters.

The side's strong batting and bowling line-up could trouble the other contenders.