Cricket: Central Indians take on Greerton at home

Central Indians' Prabh Gill reacts to a shot played off his bowling against Mt Maunganui at Smallbone Park last weekend. Photo / Ben Fraser

Bayleys Central Indians will hope to make the most of home ground advantage when Eves Realty Greerton pay a visit to Smallbone Park today.Much of Central Indians' hope will lie on bowler Andrew Gibbs, who has taken six wickets in the Baywide Cup this season and bowls with genuine enthusiasm, which can make life difficult for the opposition batsmen.

The star of the Greerton side, since Baywide cricket kicked off nearly two months ago, has been skipper Shane Wineti. Last weekend he showed his gritty qualities when he carried his bat with an unbeaten knock of 77, in a losing effort against Element IMF Cadets.

Meanwhile, there are likely to be plenty of tall tales told at the Tauranga Domain when Cadets play Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys' College.

Cadets, who are celebrating their 40th jubilee this season, are having an old boys' day at the ground, before a celebratory dinner in the club rooms later in the evening.

This season's Baywide Cup, blighted by rain in the early rounds, sees just six points separating five teams after four rounds, with both Cadets and Tauranga Boys' right in the mix in the title chase.

Tauranga Boys' batsman Marcel Collett has blasted the season's highest score and has a impressive average of 57.67. The team mentored by Bay of Plenty keeper Tim Clarke has produced plenty of runs in the Baywide first round competition.

Cadets have loyalty in spades and are sure to want to show the old boys on the sideline their pride in wearing the club uniform that dates back four decades.

GM Painters Lake Taupo CC are at home at Owen Delaney Park for the first time in Baywide Cricket and will square off with New World Te Puke.

The game pits the competition's leading wicket takers against each other in head to head combat. Te Puke youngster Josh Earle has taken six wickets and holds the best bowling figures of five wickets at a cost of just 11 runs. Home team bowler Moko Rivers has also bagged six wickets, with the match likely to make the batsmen from both sides work hard for runs.

BOPCA Baywide Cup round four draw – November 25

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

Points Table

Cadets 16, Mount Maunganui 13, Greerton 13, Tauranga Boys' College 10, Te Puke 10, Lake Taupo CC 9, Central Indians 6.