Bay of Plenty have lifted the Hawke Cup after successfully beating holders Hawke's Bay by six wickets in Napier today.
The Graeme Aldridge-coached visitors' victory came on the platform of a brisk century from No 4 Ben Musgrove on the final day of the three-day match at Nelson Park.
Captain Peter Drysdale and his challengers chased down the target of 206 with 209-4 in 40.1 overs.
The writing was on the wall for the hosts when BOP were 81-3 in 21 overs at tea although the Colin Schaw-coached Hawke's Bay struck early with a wicket without a run on the board in the second innings of the visitors' scoreboard.
But it was a false dawn for the Pay Excellence-sponsored holders in their first defence, after they declared at 361-5 in 60 overs this afternoon.
No 4 Graeme Tryon's unbeaten 143 runs today was too little, too late after the hosts were skittled cheaply in their first innings only to watch BOP eclipse the paltry target for first-innings points.
BOP can now lock away the symbol of minor association cricket supremacy for the rest of the winter.
Drysdale had demoted himself from the opening position to No 9 with a suspected broken finger but that pain must be the last thing on his mind now.
