Cricket: Mount shows backbone

Jason Luke's half-century helped Mount Maunganui fight back to stay top of the reserve-grade standings. Photo / File

Mount Maunganui have cemented their position at the top of the WBOPCA reserve-grade standings in an otherwise tight title race.

The Mount pushed early competition leaders R&A Sangha further down the leaderboard by winning a thriller at Blake Park.

The Sangha XI batted first and were dismissed for 211. The second innings went right down to the wire.

An inspired lower-order fightback, featuring a fine 77 from Jason Luke and a 10th-wicket partnership between two of the club's youngest players got the competition leaders home with a single wicket to spare.

Tauranga Boys' College 2nd XI moved into second on the standings by beating competition newcomers Sikh Sports.

Brad Howard took three wickets for just 16 runs as the Sikh side were rolled for just 125.

Other big improvers were Katikati, who beat Cadets at Tauranga Domain. Katikati posted 265/8, with Matt Earl in good touch with the bat, top-scoring with 77.

Cadets did not appear bothered by the big target and, led by a superb knock of 129 from Ryan King, were in the hunt for victory before being bowled out 27 runs short.

Greerton showed vastly improved form in their defeat of Te Puke. Batting first, they reached 258/8, Darren Heimann leading the way with 70. Te Puke were bowled out for 166, Heimann backing up his batting prowess with three wickets.

Cadets remain the only unbeaten side in the B Grade chase for first-round honours after their 30-run win over Wanderers, while the Singh XI moved into joint second by comprehensively defeating Albion by eight wickets.

Former leaders Grasshoppers were bowled out for just 100 by Katikati, with Matt Guptill grabbing 3/20. Katikati cruised to a six-wicket win courtesy of knocks in the 40s by Dhillon Shea and Gene Darvill.

Mount Maunganui posted their first win of the season by easily beating Greerton.

WBOPCA Reserve Grade: Katikati 265/8 (Matt Earl 77, Ben Warren 52, Josh Wilson 34) defeated Cadets 238 (Ryan King 129, Grant Manners 42, Elli Jensen 3/47); R&A Sangha Raavi XI 211 (GS Gagan 36, JS Badyal 37) lost to Mount Maunganui 212/9 (Jason Luke 77; Vic Tiwari 3/46); Sikh XI 125 (Deepu Singh 48, Brad Howard 3/16) lost to TBC 2nd XI 126/4 (Callum Taylor 25no); Greerton 258/8 (Darren Heimann 70, Tim Kleyn 42, Joeli Kurisi 31, Supreet Singh 3/63) defeated Te Puke 166 (Chris Rowe 58, Darren Heimann 3/40).

Points: (Provisional) Mount Maunganui 89, Tauranga Boys College 2nd XI 74, Katikati 66, Cadets 65, Sikh Sports 64, Greerton 62, R&A Sangha 61, Te Puke 54.

WBOPCA B Grade: Grasshoppers 100 (Bob Curran 40, Matt Guptill 3/20) lost to Katikati 102/4 (Dhillon Shea 45, Gene Darvill 41no); Albion 138 Brad Majoribanks 55, Hardeep Singh 3/28) lost to Singh XI 139/2 (Jasvir Singh 68no); Cadets 169 defeated Wanderers 139; Mount Maunganui 209/9 defeated Greerton 100.

Points: (Provisional) Cadets 33, Grasshoppers 27, Singh XI 27, Katikati 24, Wanderers 15, Mount Maunganui 15, Greerton 6, Albion 3.