Baywide cricket: Double-headers bring T20 action to the fore

FOUR MORE: Tauranga Boys' batsman Sean Wakelin smashes a ball to the boundary.PHOTO/FILE

The Lonestar Tauranga Twenty20 title will be fought out over the next two weekends at Matua's Fergusson Park, with the Williams Cup taking a break because of Bay of Plenty representative commitments.

Going into rounds five and six tomorrow, five teams are genuine contenders for a berth in the decider.

With two points for a win, Carrus Mount Maunganui lead the standings with eight points, with a slender one-point advantage over Eves Realty Greerton and Rotorua Central.

Lurking a further two points adrift are City Sports Bar Te Puke and Element IMF Cadets.

While the third and fourth rounds were seriously affected by rain, several players have made significant contributions for their sides.

Leading the batting leaderboard is Central allrounder Jason Trembath, who has smashed 148 runs with a top score of 92.

Tauranga Boys' College mentor Mark Orchards is second with 109 runs and a highest score of 84no.

Te Puke stalwart Stephen Crossan scored a neat century to grab third place.

Mount Maunganui allrounder Alex Gooding leads the way in the bowling stakes with seven wickets and best figures of 3-21. Teammate Dan Hill is second with six bowling scalps including a remarkable 3-2.

The key match-up in the early afternoon round at Fergusson Park is an inter-city battle between Cadets and defending champions Central. In other round five matches, Greerton square off with Whakatane United, Mount Maunganui meet Tauranga Boys' College and BOP Indians face Te Puke.

Cadets will have little respite on the day, with Greerton in the late afternoon round. The two Western Bay sides have a healthy rivalry, that stretches back several decades, and could produce a real battle of attrition.

The winner of the BOP Indians match with Whakatane United will grab their first win of the competition. Mount Maunganui and Te Puke will resume hostilities with Central meeting Tauranga Boys.

-BOPCA Lonestar Tauranga T20, today, 12pm and 3.30pm:

Round 5: Central v Element IMF Cadets, Fergusson 3, Whakatane United v Eves Realty Greerton, Fergusson 2; Tauranga Boys College v Carrus Mount Maunganui, Fergusson 4, BOP Indians v City Sports Bar Te Puke, Fergusson 1.

Round 6: BOP Indians v Whakatane United, Fergusson 4; Te Puke v Mount Maunganui, Ferguson 2; Eves Realty Greerton v Cadets, Fergusson 1; Central v Tauranga Boys College, Fergusson 3.

Points: Mount Maunganui 8, Greerton 7, Central 7, Te Puke 5, Cadets 5, Tauranga Boys College 2, Whakatane United 2, BOP Indians 2.