The 2016 Williams Cup title decider played on Easter Friday at the Bay Oval turned into a marathon with plenty of high drama before Te Puke finally claimed the season-ending finale in fading light after a three-hour delay due to heavy rain.
New World Te Puke won the toss and
asked Carrus Mount Maunganui to bat first on a wicket which looked to have plenty of assistance for the bowlers. The Mount opening pair of Matt Golding and Blair McKenzie weathered the early storm with the defending Williams Cup title holders reaching 44-2 after the openers had departed.
The introduction of Te Puke medium pacer Christian MacDonald paid immediate dividends with Mount Maunganui in real trouble at 65-6. However the Mount tail showed plenty of defiance, with number ten batsmen Kyle Dovey producing his team's top score of 18. An 18-run partnership between Dovey and Luke Tatley saw Mount Maunganui bowled out for 136.
The first Te Puke wicket fell at 22 with Tai Bridgman-Raison, who top scored in the game with 20, the next to fall at 45/2. Just after the Te Puke number three batsman was removed without scoring, the rain drifted in with the players leaving the field for what turned out to be a three-hour break in play.
With the match up for grabs and both sides eager to achieve a result, there was plenty of prowling up and down the Bay Oval pavilion as the players waited for the drizzle to abate. Finally around 6pm the rain stopped, with the umpires scheduling a 6.30pm resumption of the title decider.
