Bay of Plenty Cricket: Mount Maunganui lay down the gauntlet

Players have been busy in the Bay of Plenty. Photo / File

Defending Bay of Plenty Cup champions Bond & Co Mount Maunganui have laid down the gauntlet to the other contenders in the opening round with a comprehensive win over Holland Beckett Law Tauranga Boys' College.

Batting first on their home track at Blake Park, the hosts posted 225 for the loss of six wickets.

First-time captain Matt Golding led from the front with a unbeaten 44 runs while New Zealand Under-19 player Ben Pomare reached 40 before being dismissed. Tauranga Boys' bowler Riley Brady took two wickets for 24 runs.

Bay of Plenty quick Chris Atkinson grabbed the first five wicket bag of the new season, taking five at a cost of just 10 runs. Tauranga Boys' skipper Niven Dovey put up some dogged resistance for a time, with 30 runs, before his side was removed for 74 to hand the home side a 151 run win.

Bayleys Central Indians started with a win over Baywide newcomers Pāpāmoa by seven wickets.

Pāpāmoa batted first and were bowled out for 135, with former Black Cap Matt Horne top scoring with 25 runs. Aaron Bennett took three wickets for just four runs for the visitors.

Bharat Popli, who has returned to the Central Indians fold as player/coach, led the way with 59 runs while skipper Steve Nicholls chipped in with a solid 34.

Eve's Realty Greerton had a good tussle with Generation Homes Lake Taupō before prevailing at home base at Pemberton Park.

The Great Lake visitors batted first and were dismissed for 166. Batting at three, Mark Mitchell top scored with a gritty 60. Taylor Bettelheim showed that he is developing into a genuine all-rounder, grabbing four wickets at a cost of 20 runs and long-time Greerton captain Shane Wineti took three wickets.

A knock of 57 from Bettelheim anchored the Greerton five-wicket victory, while Tom MacRury scored 26.

Craigs Investment Partners Geyser City put up a defiant performance against Element IMF Cadets at Smallbone Park before tasting defeat.

Batting first, the Rotorua team reached 217 for the loss of seven wickets. Cody Fell, who had his side's captain's band for first time, led his troops from the front with 73 runs while James McCabe grabbed three wickets for the Western Bay of Plenty visitors.

Cadets were made to fight hard for the win points on offer, losing seven wickets on the way to victory. Last season's New Zealand Under-19 batsman Fergus Lellman was in magnificent touch as he worked his way to the weekend's top score of 93 runs. Cadets' new skipper Andrew Mascall also worked hard to finish with a half-century to his name.

Bay of Plenty Cup – Round One Results
Pāpāmoa 135 (Matt Horne 25; Aaron Bennett 3/4) lost to Central Indians 136/3 (Bharat Popli 59, Steve Nicholls 34).

Geyser 218/7 (Cody Fell 73 Liam Kelly 37; James McCabe 3/27) lost to Cadets 222/7 (Fergus Lellman 93, Andrew Mascall 56; Sathish Krishnamoothy 2/25).

Mount Maunganui 225/6 (Matt Golding 44no, Ben Pomare 40; Riley Brady 2/24) beat Tauranga Boys' College 74 (Niven Dovey 30; Chris Atkinson 5/10).

Lake Taupō 166 (Michael Mitchell 60, Caleb Bate 31; Taylor Bettelheim 4/20, Shane Wineti 3/34) lost to Greerton 167/5 (T Bettelheim 57, Tom MacRury 26; Moko Rivers 2/44).

Te Puke: The bye

Points Table:
Central Indians 6, Cadets 6, Mount Maunganui 6, Greerton 6, Pāpāmoa 0, Geyser 0, Tauranga Boys' College 0, Lake Taupō 0.