Williams Cup cricket: Three of the four semifinalists look secure

Central Indians' Andrew Gibbs bowls to Greerton's Pip Thickpenny on Saturday. Photo / Andrew Warner

An Eves Realty Greerton century has led the way to the Western Bay side booking a semifinals berth in the Versatile Tauranga Williams Cup.

Comfortably defeating Bayleys Central Indians at Smallbone Park on Saturday, Greerton posted 232/6 with Pip Thickpenny smacking 104 runs. Thickpenny and Lee Watkins (82) set up the solid target, with a 162 run partnership.

Central Indians had trouble keeping up with required number of runs from the start and were bowled out for 151, to hand Greerton an 81-run victory. Ben Sandford reached the 30s for the home side, with Greerton captain Shane Wineti returning bowling figures of 3-18.

In other Williams Cup matches, New World Te Puke have kept their slim chances of qualifying for the Williams Cup playoffs alive after the penultimate round of the qualifying competition.

Te Puke batted first against Geyser City at home at the Te Puke Domain and reached 230/9, in their allotted overs. Openers Tai Bridgman-Raison (45) and Stephen Crossan (55) got their side away to a solid start, with a 95-run opening stand. Batting at three, Cam Riley kept the solid tempo going to top score with 61 runs. The visitors' bowlers then fought back, with Joshua Simpson taking 3-33.

Geyser City made a valiant attempt to haul in the solid target, but were bowled out for 213. Shaquille Graham led the way with 59 runs, with Tasman Carsons and Christian MacDonald taking three wicket bags for Te Puke.

Defending Williams Cup champions Element IMF Cadets continued to lead the qualifying rounds of play, after disposing of the challenge of Bond & Co Tauranga Boys' College. Cadets were bowled out for 172, before turning around to dismiss Tauranga Boys' 36 runs short of their target.

Individual game honours were picked up by Cadets batsman Joe McCluskie with 45 runs, with Tauranga Boys' bowler Kieran New and the Cadets pair of Finn Dempsey and Cam O'Dea, all finishing with three wickets.

A century from Generation Homes Lake Taupō batsman Michael Mitchell wasn't enough to stave off defeat in his team's match against Carrus Mount Maunganui.

Mount reached 214/6, with Matt Golding continuing his golden run of form with the bat with 62 runs. John Dolan was the best of the home side's bowlers, finishing his spell, with three wickets at a cost of 49 runs.

Michael Mitchell's 113 not out, in an innings that contained 14 fours and a six, wasn't enough to take his home to victory. Jack Wiggins was also in good form with 46 runs but the Mount slow bowlers slowed the home side's momentum to restrict them to 200 for the loss of six wickets.

The situation entering next Saturday's final round-robin is that Cadets, Mount Maunganui and Greerton have already booked semifinals berths. There are just three points separating Lake Taupō, Tauranga Boys' College and Te Puke - with Greerton heavily favoured to beat Lake Taupō, the fourth semifinal spot could go to the winner of the Te Puke-Tauranga Boys' encounter at the Te Puke Domain.

March 7 results:
Mount Maunganui 214/6 (Matt Golding 62, Tim Tomlinson 48: John Dolan 3-49) defeated Lake Taupō 200/6 (Michael Mitchell 113no, Jack Wiggins 46; Henry Conway 3-29); Greerton 232/6 (Pip Thickpenny 104, Lee Watkins 82; Andrew Gibbs 2-29) defeated Central Indians 151 (Ben Sandford 33, Nandeera Nawela 26; ShaneWineti 3-18); Te Puke 230/9 (Cam Riley 61, Stephen Crossan 55, Tai Bridgman-Raison 45; Joshua Simpson 3-33) defeated Geyser City 213 (Shaquille Graham 59; Tasman Carsons 3-13, Christian MacDonald 3-42); Cadets 182 (Joe McCluskie 45, Jono Boult 44; Kieran New 3-13) defeated Tauranga Boys' College 147 (Isaac White 27; Finn Dempsey 3-21, Cam O'Dea 3-49).

Points: Cadets 38, Mount Maunganui 32, Greerton 32, Tauranga Boys' College 22, Lake Taupō 20, Te Puke 19, Geyser City 6, Central Indians 4.

Williams Cup 2020 Honours Board - Centuries:
143: Tim Clarke (Tauranga Boys' College v Geyser City), February 22.
131*: Nick Hendrie (Greerton v Te Puke), February 29.
128: Drew Brierley (Lake Taupō v Tauranga Boys College), February 8.
124: Drew Brierley (Lake Taupō v Central Indians), February 29.
113: Michael Mitchell (Lake Taupō v Mount Maunganui), March 7.
112: Ben Vyver (Tauranga Boys' College v Central Indians), February 1.
104: Pip Thickpenny (Greerton v Central Indians), March 7.
101*: Sam Kershaw (Geyser City vs Lake Taupō), February 1.