Greerton players celebrate winning the Williams Cup final at Bay Oval. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
Eves Realty Greerton won their fourth Williams Cup since their first success in the 1983-84 season when they defeated Element IMF Cadets in favourable bowling conditions at Bay Oval on Saturday.
Cadets took first use of the wicket at the international venue with the Greerton bowlers grabbing the early ascendancy.
At five down with just 38 runs on the board, Cadets were in strife. The arrival of Cadets keeper Daniel Maathuis to join captain Jono Boult got the Tauranga Domain-based side back on track with the pair putting on a 117-run stand.
The introduction of Greerton change bowler Tom MacRury put the momentum back with Greerton as he removed both Boult (55) and Maathuis (56). Cadets lost their last five wickets for just eight runs, finishing their innings with 163 runs on the board.
Seamer Jared Tutty grabbed a four-wicket bag, with MacRury finishing with the excellent figures of three wickets for just six runs. Left-arm pace bowler Tommy Clout also did plenty of early damage taking three wickets.
MacRury and skipper Shane Wineti opened the Greerton reply. The Cadets bowling attack has some early success, with Greerton losing three wickets for 56 runs. But MacRury anchored his side's victory with a mixture of some defensive shots and big heaves over the boundary in his fine innings of 73. Umesh Ranaraja finished off Greerton's five-wicket win with a four to take him to an unbeaten 60.
