Otumoetai College First XI came from the bottom of the standings to upset joint leaders Trident High School in round three of the WBOPCA First XI competition on Saturday.
Batting first Otumoetai set the Eastern Bay team a good-sized target, when they were dismissed for 215, with Vaughan Wilson and Nathan McDonald both posting half centuries. Bay age group bowler Tom Casey and Hamish Wilde took four wickets apiece for Trident.
Led by Scott Wilson, who returned 3/21, the Otumoetai bowlers took charge to remove Trident for 160. Josiah Atkinson top scored with 43 runs.
Bethlehem College grabbed the outright lead in the title race, when they defended 189 against Tauranga Boys' College 4th XI. Led by a solid half century from Bill Burnett, the competition leaders then bowled their opponents out for 118, to lay down the gauntlet to the other contenders. Bethlehem bowler Dylan Ramohitaj posted the day's best figures of 5/19.
John Paul College remained in contention for a post section berth with a comfortable win over Tauranga Boys' College 3rd XI. The Tauranga Boys' side mustered just 91, with the Rotorua team cruising to victory with six wickets to spare.
Katikati College lost a high scoring match against Aquinas College. Katikati batted first and reached 203/5 with Max Morton posting 54 runs to his name. Aquinas got home losing six wickets on the way, with Dion Collins top scoring for the winners with 56 runs.
A remarkable tie took place in the Division Four game between Katikati seconds and Tauranga Boys' College Cavaliers. Both teams finished their turn at bat on 105 and both lost nine wickets.
WBOPCA Secondary School Term One Competition Results 23 February 2013
1st XI Competition
Otumoetai College 215 (V Wilson 67, N McDonald 55; T Casey 4/21, H Wilde 4/31) defeated Trident HS 160 (J Atkinson 43, B Collier 29; S Wilson 3/21, J Van de Vorm 2/32)
Tauranga Boys College 3rd XI 91 (F Sevmanatafa 3/26, L Kelly 2/18) lost to John Paul College 92/4
Bethlehem College 189 (B Burnett 54, T Rutherford 37; S Wakelin 3/39, F Russell 2/14) defeated Tauranga Boys College 4th XI 118 (T Renouf 27, D Ramohitaj 5/19, B Burnett 2/19)
Katikati College 203/5 (M Morton 64, B Gilroy 53no; R Foord 2/28, T Doherty 2/46) lost to Aquinas College 205/6 (D Collins 56, S Dykes 38no; B Gilroy 2/43)
Points Table: Bethlehem 20, Trident 14, JPC 14, TBC 4th XI 14, Aquinas 14, Otumoetai 8, Katikati 2, TBC 3rd XI 2.
Division Two
Bethlehem Elders 93 (C Hall 3/13) lost to Papamoa/Mount 94/2 (L Carr 46no)
Taupo Combined defeated Aquinas Two, Rotorua BHS the bye
Division Three
Otumoetai Two 114 lost to Bethlehem Three 118/3
TBC Wanderers 179/2 defeated Te Puke HS 96, TBC Lords the bye
Division Four
Katikati 105/9 tied with TBC Cavaliers 105/9
Otumoetai Three 162/5 defeated TBC Sabina 91
Mount/Papamoa Green defeated Aquinas Three