Mount face Orchard challenge

BIG STRETCH: Greerton batsman Thomas MacRury reaches a wide delivery.PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER

Mount Maunganui resume their quest for back-to-back Baywide Cup titles, after last weekend's holiday weekend break, when they play Tauranga Boys' College at Nicholson Field tomorrow.

The Mount side are at the top of the standings as the Baywide 110 over competition enters round four. Three successive victories tell the tale of the early Mount domination of the first leg of the two Baywide Premier cricket competitions.

Mount skipper Pete Drysdale has shown early season form with the bat to sit in third place on the batting honours. Mount slow bowler Dale Swan has woven magic with the ball and leads the bowling stakes with 10 wickets, while Mount keeper Tim Clarke shares the lead with most catches with Kyle Blanchard (Central).

A Mount victory will require the visitors to Tauranga Boys' headquarters to shut down prolific Tauranga Boys' run scorer Mark Orchard. The Tauranga first XI mentor has been in blistering form with the bat in the Baywide Cup, smashing 244 runs in just three games.

Long time Baywide heavyweights Element IMF Cadets and City Sports Bar Te Puke will continue their intense rivalry when the Te Puke squad pay a visit to the Tauranga Domain. A new-look Cadets side have made a good start to the current season and sit comfortably in second place on the standings with two victories. Cadets bowler James Birchall has made a good start to his season taking six wickets against BOP Indians, with Sean Davey posting a half century in the same match.

Te Puke captain Mitch McCann leads the way with both bat and ball for his side. A century in a rained off match against BOP Indians and a four wicket bag in round one testify to McCann's all-round skills. Last season's Te Puke skipper Tai Bridgman-Raison is another quality batsman who can be extremely difficult to dismiss.

Eves Realty Greerton will be playing on their home base at Pemberton Park for the first time in the current Baywide Cup and are just a solitary point behind third place Te Puke. This weekend they face BOP Indians who have an ace card in Bay of Plenty stroke-maker Bharat Popli. A real find for Greerton has been the acquisition of Scotland under 19 batsman Mike English, who has already posted a century for his new club.

East Bay United and Central will battle to move from near the bottom of the Baywide Cup standings when they square off at Rex Morepeth Park in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

Baywide Cup draw, November 2: Element IMF Cadets v City Sports Bar Te Puke, Tauranga Domain; Tauranga Boys' College v Mount Maunganui, Nicholson Field; Eves Realty Greerton v BOP Indians, Pemberton Park; East Bay United v Central; Rex Morepeth Park.

Baywide Cup points: Mount Maunganui 54, Cadets 47.5, Te Puke 38.5, Greerton 37.5, Tauranga Boys' College 22.5, Central 29, East Bay United 24.5, BOP Indians 22.5.

Top Dog (Season individual totals)

Batting: Mark Orchard (Tauranga Boys' College) 244 runs.

Bowling: Dale Swan (Mount Maunganui) 10 wickets.

Catches: Tim Clarke (Mount Maunganui)/Kyle Blanchard (Central) 5 catches.