Cricket: Mount Maunganui win back-to-back T20 titles

Carrus Mount Maunganui have successfully defended their Baywide Twenty20 title with a dominant performance in the final against Eves Realty Greerton.

Mount Maunganui join Tauranga Boys' College and Rotorua Central as two-time winners of the Baywide premier competition, which began in the 2011/12 season.

Greerton won the toss and batted at Fergusson Park on Saturday. A tight and controlled Mount Maunganui bowling performance restricted their opposition's attempts to hit out.

The key wicket of Brett Hampton for just two runs, as well as two run-outs, turned the momentum firmly in Mount Maunganui's favour, as Greerton were dismissed for 98.

Umesh Ranaraja top scored for Greerton with 39. Mount off-spinner Peter Drysdale took three wickets at a cost of eight runs and skipper Dale Swan also chimed in with three wickets.

"We were very, very happy with our fielding, with a clinical performance that dried up the Greerton batting attack's pursuit of runs. Two run-outs played a big part in dismissing Greerton for just 98," Swan said.

The defending champions went on the offensive and got home with seven wickets to
spare.

Dan Smith scored an unbeaten 40, while Ben Musgrave reached the 35 run mark before being dismissed.

"The key to victory was a disciplined approach to both batting and bowling on the day,
and sticking to our game plan throughout the encounter," Swan said.

Round seven was played earlier in the afternoon and Greerton finished at the top of the qualifying standings, beating Bond & Co Tauranga Boys' College by 112 runs.

Brett Hampton blasted his side to victory with 94 off just 33 balls in a whirlwind innings that contained nine fours and seven sixes.

Mount Maunganui cemented their place in the final when they beat GM Painters Lake
Taupō CC. Led by 67 from Dale Smith, Mount Maunganui posted 156/4 and then restricted the Taupō side to 121 for the loss of five wickets.

Bayleys Central Indians can be pleased with their Baywide T20 campaign after finishing third-equal with Element IMF Cadets (who sat out the round seven bye).

The Rotorua side restricted New World Te Puke to 137 for seven wickets, before getting home for the loss of five wickets.

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Baywide Twenty20 Championship Final
Greerton 98 (U Ranaraja 39, H Collier 27; P Drysdale 3-8, D Swan 3-18) lost to Mount Maunganui 101/3 (D Smith 40no, B Musgrave 35).

Round Seven
Greerton 213/6 (B Hampton 94, U Ranaraja 55) beat Tauranga Boys' College 101/8 (D Preston 22).
New World Te Puke 137/7 (B McKenzie 28, J Earle 25, T Bridgman-Raison 25; J Rowe 2-19) lost to Bayleys Central Indians 140/5 (A Gibbs 23no, B Sandford 21; L Elliffe 2-20, M Leef 2-23).
Mount Maunganui 156/4 (D Smith 67) beat Lake Taupō CC 121/5 (C Baldry 2-19).
Element IMF Cadets the bye.

Points (final)
Greerton 33, Mount Maunganui 30, Central Indians 18, Cadets 18, Lake Taupo CC 12, Te Puke 9, Tauranga Boys College 6.

Baywide T20 Winners
2011/12: Tauranga Boys' College, 2012/13: Tauranga Boys' College, 2013/14:
Rotorua Central, 2014/15: Rotorua Central, 2015/16: Otumoetai Cadets, 2016/17:
not played, 2017/18: Mount Maunganui, 2018/19: Mount Maunganui.