Baywide cricket preview for weekend

IN FORM: Greerton allrounder Campbell Thomas will be a key player against Te Puke tomorrow. PHOTO/File

Baywide Cup competition leaders Carrus Mount Maunganui have made a grand start to the current season where teams have had to battle the elements as much as the opposition.

Mount Maunganui face Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys' College tomorrow with the pupils just off the lead in second-equal place on the standings.

Round three will see the six teams playing on grass for the first time this season, with Mount Maunganui squaring off with Tauranga Boys' on Blake Park number three.

The match is a home game for Tauranga Boys', who will utilise Blake Park 3 wicket (behind the pavilion) while Nicholson Field is undergoing rejuvenation.

Both Mount Maunganui and Tauranga Boys' have a solid background of promoting young talent into the premier cricket ranks. Blair McKenzie and Luke Tatley are two young Mount players to earn promotion to premier cricket, while still attending secondary school.

Tauranga Boys' new first XI recruits in Iman Singh and Rhys Mischewski have made a good impression with the ball, with Singh posting best bowling figures of 3/31.

Defending Baywide Cup titleholders Eves Realty Greerton have some work to do to get into contention to defend the Baywide first-round prize, after losing their first two games of the new season. However, on Saturday they have home track advantage at Pemberton Park when New World Te Puke pay a visit.

The game matches the current Baywide Cup holders against Te Puke who won the Baywide big prize of the Williams Cup in late March.

Baywide Champion of Champions Element IMF Cadets could have their hands full on their trip to Rotorua to square off with Bayleys Central Indians at Smallbone Park. Central and Bay of Plenty Indians combined forces at the start of the 2016/17 season and have shown plenty of batting and bowling firepower in their ranks.

BOPCA Baywide Cup draw tomorrow, 12pm start
Eves Realty Greerton v New World Te Puke, Pemberton Park; Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys' College v Carrus Mount Maunganui, Blake3; Bayleys Central Indians v Element IMF Cadets, Smallbone Park.

Points Table: Carrus Mount Maunganui 42, Element IMF Cadets 34, Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys' College 34, New World Te Puke 22, Bayleys Central Indians 14, Eves Realty Greerton 6.