Cricket: Cadets beat Katikati to Reserve T20 title

The Cadets beat Katikati in the Reserve T20 championship

Cadets annexed the second piece of WBOPCA Reserve Grade silverware on offer this season when they took out the Reserve T20 championship on Saturday.

Facing Katikati on a grass wicket at Ferguson Park, Cadets took first use of the batting crease and posted 115/9 with Chris Norton top scoring with 37 runs. Mike Rao was the pick of the Katikati bowlers taking 3/22. Chasing nearly six runs an over, the Cadets bowlers strangled the Katikati batsmen's opportunities to hit out and restricted Katikati to 103/9. Den Williams top scored with 35 for Katikati, with Cadets Reserve Grade stalwart Josh Christensen grabbing three wickets while Colin Robb returned 2/7.

Greerton reached 169 with Mount Maunganui losing early wickets to post just 59/6, and give Greerton an easy victory in the playoff for third place.

In other playoff games R&A Sangha defeated Tauranga Boys' College, with Sikh Sport too good for Te Puke.

The B Grade Knockout Cup semifinals resulted in Katikati and Mount Maunganui advancing to the title decider to be played at the Bay Oval during February. Te Puke region's Singh XI batted first against Katikati and were bowled out for 139 with Katikati getting home with six wickets to spare.

Mount Maunganui reached 152/8 in their allotted overs against Grasshoppers. Sam Read led the way for the Mount side with 31 runs, with John Heyworth taking 4/22 for the hoppers. Three wickets apiece from Jim Coutts and Kal Friend did the damage as Grasshoppers were dismissed for 104, to give Mount Maunganui the other berth in the cup title decider.

There was plenty of celebration in the Greerton clubhouse on Saturday night after all three teams posted victories. The sweetest win celebrated in the club was by the B grade side who don't win too many matches each season. But on Saturday afternoon they claimed a place in the Knockout Cup Plate final defeating Albion in a high scoring encounter.

Greerton batted first and made 295, thanks in no small part to Vishal Mani's 137. Greerton's opponents in the Plate title decider, will be defending B Grade champions Wanderers who beat Cadets.

-Reserve Grade T20 Championship

Final: Cadets 115/9 (Chris Norton 37: Mike Rao 3/22) defeated Katikati 103/9 (Den Williams 38, Josh Wilson 35; Josh Christensen 3/17, Colin Robb 2/7); Third Place: Greerton 169 (Joelli Kurisi 31) defeated Mount Maunganui 59/6 (J Kurisi 2/18); Fifth Place: Tauranga Boys' College 110/9 (Gurdeep Singh 3/12) lost to R&A Sangha 116/6 (Jatinder Sehgal 23; Brad Howard 4/14); Seventh Place: Sikh Sports 249/8 defeated Te Puke 137/6

-B Grade Knockout Cup Championship

Semifinals: Singh XI 139 (JS Dhillon 49; Jamie Payton 3/26) lost to Katikati 140/4 (Matt Warren 38, Ben Warren 34no, Dillon Shea 30); Mount Maunganui 152/8 (Sam Read 31, John Heyworth 4/22) defeated Grasshoppers 104 (Dan O'Brien 29no; Jim Coutts 3/18, Kal Friend 3/20); Plate Semifinals: Greerton 295 (Vishal Mani 137; N Bindal 47) defeated Albion 250 (Paddy Davenport 68); Wanderers 94 defeated Cadets 83.

-No WBOPCA cricket on January 24 due to Auckland Anniversary weekend.