Williams Cup semifinal spot up for grabs

Otumoetai Cadets bowler Donovan Deeble bowling against Te Puke in an earlier round of the Williams Cup. PHOTO/FILE

Three Baywide premier teams have the opportunity to clinch the final Williams Cup semifinal spot in the last round of qualifying play tomorrow.

Eves Realty Greerton, who are sitting out the bye this weekend, have already secured the top qualifying position, plus Carrus Mount Maunganui and Bayleys Central Indians have qualified for post-section play.

A tied result between Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys' College and defending champions Element IMF Cadets last Saturday opened the way for New World Te Puke to join Tauranga Boys' and Cadets in the race for the last remaining semifinal berth.

If Cadets defeat Mount Maunganui they will pick up the last semi place while a Mount victory would give the winner of the Tauranga Boys' and Te Puke game the opportunity to continue their cricket season.

Cadets and Mount Maunganui meet at Tauranga Domain. Cadets have Joshua Bates, who has migrated north from Canterbury, with a century against Greerton in his Williams Cup debut and Gurwinder Singh who took a five-wicket bag in round five.

Mount Maunganui's Logan Carr, promoted from reserve grade, posted a premier half-century against Greerton. Dan Smith has made his presence felt with bat and ball and sits in a prominent position on both the Williams Cup batting and bowling stakes.

Tauranga Boys' and Te Puke will be keeping tabs on the match at the Tauranga Domain, with the winner at Nicholson Field progressing if the Mount beat Cadets. Tauranga Boys' have four Bay Development youngsters in Marcel Collett, Ben Pomare, Dominic Crombie and Iman Singh in their line-up.

Two Te Puke top-order batsmen have been in sterling form. Tai Bridgman-Raison posted his 13th premier century last Saturday, blasting 146 against Lake Taupo CC. The next day, Stephen Crossan posted his maiden minor association three-figure score with a neat 100 for Bay of Plenty against Waikato Valley.

Victory for Central Indians against GM Painters Lake Taupo CC would give them a chance at grabbing a coveted top-two spot and two lives in the playoffs.

BOPCA Williams Cup draw
Element IMF Cadets v Carrus Mount Maunganui, Tauranga Domain; Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys' College v New World Te Puke, Nicholson Field; GM Painters Lake Taupo CC v Bayleys Central Indians, Owen Delaney Park; Eves Realty the bye.

Points Table: Greerton 40, Mount Maunganui 25, Central Indians 23, Cadets 15, Te Puke 13, Tauranga Boys' College 13, Lake Taupo CC 5.

BOPCA Williams Cup Honours Board 2018
Batting (Centuries) 146 Tai Bridgman-Raison (Te Puke v Lake Taupo), 103 Joshua Bates (Element IMF Cadets) v Greerton
Bowling (Five wickets) 5/19 Gurwinder Singh (Cadets) v Lake Taupo CC, 5/46 James Boyd (EVES Realty Greerton) v Cadets