Bay of Plenty Cricket: Central and Greerton lead hunt for Williams Cup

FILE

Bayleys Central Indians and Eves Realty Greerton continue to sit at the top of the Versatile Tauranga Williams Cup standings, with both sides surviving stern challenges on Saturday.

There was little indication of the damage that the Craigs Investment Partners Geyser bowlers would inflict on Greerton after the Rotorua side was bowled out for what looked to be a very gettable 185.

Harry Jones and Gordon O'Donoghue both reached the 30s, with the Greerton wickets shared around.

The visitors to Smallbone Park made a solid start, losing their first wicket with 49 runs on the board. However, one down for 49 became 127 for the loss of seven wickets when Cameron Neal was removed with 50 runs to his name.

Brett Hampton did what he knows best in putting the boundary ropes under attack as he hammered an unbeaten 46 off 27 balls, taking his side home to victory with just two wickets to spare.

Experience and youth in the Geyser bowling ranks almost caused the upset of the season. Barry Hogan called upon all his guile to grab four wickets for 32 runs and teenager Cohen Stewart claimed three.

Generation Homes Lake Taupō set Central Indians a target of 178 to win.

Michael Mitchell (44) and Moko Rivers (36), batting down the order, were the best of the Taupō side's batting attack. Central Indians skipper Stephen Nicholls took three wickets.

The Rotorua side lost six wickets on their way to picking up the win points on offer. Bharat Popli, batting at three, anchored his team's win with an unbeaten 68 while Nicholls chipped in with a handy 35 runs.

Bond & Co Mount Maunganui cruised to a big win over Flying Mullet Te Puke after reaching 236 for the loss of six wickets. Dominic Crombie was in good touch with the bat, top-scoring with 72 not out.

Dale Swan and Tony Goodin did the damage as the two long-time Mount bowlers ripped through the Te Puke batting lineup to remove them for 84.

Swan finished with figures of five wickets for 49 runs, with former Northern Districts professional player Tony Goodin showing he had lost none of his class in taking four wickets for just nine runs.

Pāpāmoa came back from the dire straits of 88/6 to get through to 186 for the loss of nine wickets against Holland Beckett Law Tauranga Boys' College.

Andrew Goldsmith top-scored with 55 runs while Guy Wilkins and Ryan Balsom produced a solid eighth-wicket partnership.

Tim Clarke (63) and Charles Williams (41) anchored their side's three-wicket win, with Tauranga Boys' First XI new recruit Harsh Patel contributing a handy 32 runs.

Williams Cup results
Mount Maunganui 236/6 (Dominic Crombie 72no, Niven Dovey 61, Brett Randell 38) defeated Te Puke 84 (Tai Bridgman-Raison 31, Iman Singh 30; Dale Swan 5/40, Tony Goodin 4/9).

Lake Taupō 177 (Michael Mitchell 44, Moko Rivers 36; Stephen Nicholls 3/27) lost to Central Indians 178/6 (Bharat Popli 68no, S Nicholls 35).

Pāpāmoa 186/9 (Andrew Goldsmith 55, Guy Wilkins 46, Ryan Balsom 32; Isaac White 3/34) lost to Tauranga Boys' College 187/7 (Tim Clarke 63, Charles Williams 41, Harsh Patel 32; Scott Finlayson 3/32).

Geyser 185 (Harry Jones 39, Gordon O'Donoghue 37) lost to Greerton 186/8 (Cameron Neal 50, Brett Hampton 46no; Barry Hogan 4/32, Cohen Stewart 3/60).

Cadets: bye.

Points table
Greerton 27, Central Indians 27, Mount Maunganui 21, Cadets 16, Lake Taupō 16, Te Puke 15, Tauranga Boys' College 14, Pāpāmoa 8, Geyser 0.