Bay of Plenty cricket: Breaking the Williams Cup log jam

Tauranga Domain will see two fourth placed teams face-off. Photo / File

A log jam in the middle of the Versatile Tauranga Williams Cup standings has set up a round six match up where the winner will take a significant step towards grabbing a post-section spot.

Element IMF Cadets and Generation Homes Lake Taupō, who will meet at the Tauranga Domain on Saturday, are locked together in fourth place on the standings.

Both Tauranga Domain combatants will have to look back no further than their Bay of Plenty Cup clash earlier in the season for motivation.

A high scoring encounter in Taupō saw Cadets bat first and reach 278/6. Marcel Collett (89) and Donovan Deeble (53) made significant contributions to the imposing visitors total.

Lake Taupō master blaster Michael Mitchell led his team's assault on the large target with 82 runs, before the hosts were dismissed for 207.

Competition frontrunners Eves Realty Greerton survived a torrid challenge to their unbeaten Williams Cup start last weekend and are sure to want to make a statement when Flying Mullet Te Puke pay a visit to Pemberton Park.

Te Puke are part of the mid table traffic jam and the attraction of the win points on offer should provide all the motivation they need to break Greerton's winning streak.

Joint competition leaders Bayleys Central Indians have emerged as a real threat in the Williams Cup title race. They host Holland Beckett Law Tauranga Boys' College, who are also in the middle of the log jam in the standings.

Bond & Co Mount Maunganui lurk dangerously in third place on the points ladder and will be favoured to defeat Pāpāmoa at Blake Park.

However, the current Baywide champion of champions will be without several of their match winners who will be on duty with the Bay of Plenty representative team, which could tilt the scales back in the Pāpāmoa side's direction.

Williams Cup draw - Saturday
Greerton v Te Puke, Pemberton Park; Mount Maunganui v Pāpāmoa, Blake1; Central Indians v Tauranga Boys' College, Smallbone Park; Cadets v Lake Taupō, Tauranga Domain; Geyser - the bye.

Williams Cup Points
Greerton 27, Central Indians 27, Mount Maunganui 21, Cadets 16, Lake Taupō 16, Te Puke 15, Tauranga Boys' College 14, Pāpāmoa 8, Geyser 0.