New faces as schools cricket springs into action

TALENTED: Nensi Patel will play for Otumoetai Cadets tomorrow. Photo/File

There are plenty of new faces set to play in the two grades of the WBOPCA Secondary Schools cricket competition that begins tomorrow.

Otumoetai Cadets will join the Mount Maunganui Cricket Club in fielding two teams in the Term Four secondary school title races.

Otumoetai Cadets member Grant Manners said: "We are aiming to make cricket available for players from schools that don't have enough players to field a full school side."

Two outstanding young women will wear the Cadets uniform in the Division One competition.

Briana Perry and Nensi Patel, who attend Tauranga Girls' College, were both members of the 2015 Bay of Plenty Secondary Schoolgirls team that won the ND title in December last year. They are also members of the Bay of Plenty senior women's side and have played for Northern Districts.

Waihi College will join Eastern Bay of Plenty's Trident High School and John Paul College from Rotorua, who play by invitation in the WBOPCA Schools competitions. Waihi College will make their Western Bay Schools debut in the Division Two competition.

Tomorrow's opening round will see Mount Maunganui Gold and Tauranga Boys' College Blue finally deciding bragging rights between the two teams. They were set to decide the Division One 2016 Term One title in March, however wet weather ruined play with the two sides sharing the honours.

Cadets will open their Division One campaign against TBC White on the grass at Fergusson Park. Bethlehem College square off with TBC Colts, with Trident High School hosting John Paul College in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

In Division Two, Waihi College have home ground advantage in their first Western Bay of Plenty competition match, with TBC Sabina making the journey through the Athenree Gorge to meet the new recruits.

TBC Kensington start their Division Two campaign against Bethlehem College, while TBC Cavaliers play Cadets, with both games taking place at Waipuna Park.

WBOPCA Secondary School draws, Saturday, 12.30pm
Division One
Mount Maunganui Gold v Tauranga Boys' College Blue, Gordon Spratt Reserve; TBC White v Otumoetai Cadets, Fergusson 3; Bethlehem College v TBC Colts, Bethlehem College; Trident HS v John Paul College, Trident HS.

Division Two
Waihi College v TBC Sabina, Waihi College; TBC Kensington v Bethlehem College, Waipuna1; TBC Cavaliers v Cadets, Waipuna2; Mount Green the bye.