Baywide Premier T20 cricket to return this summer

SKITTLED: Central Indians' Andrew Gibbs takes a wicket against Mount Maunganui at Smallbone Park last year - a year when the T20 championship was put on hold. PHOTO/FILE

A new Baywide Premier format will be introduced for the Bay of Plenty 2017/18 cricket season, which will see the reintroduction of the Baywide Twenty20 competition.

Bay of Plenty cricket manager Tai Bridgman-Raison said the feedback from the premier captains was a desire for a closer alignment between the Baywide Cup and the National Club Championship.

"The captains were also unanimous in their desire to prepare for the Baywide Cup, with T20 cricket in early October, when cricket is usually played on artificial wickets," Bridgman-Raison said.

With the winner of the Baywide Cup representing Bay of Plenty in the ND National Club Championship qualifying playoffs, the Baywide Cup has become an eight-game shootout.

Two days of T20 cricket will begin on October 28 with the final played on December 16.
The second half of the T20 title race will take place on January 13-20 before the time-honoured Williams Cup.

Baywide Premier T20 was introduced six seasons ago, with Tauranga Boys' College winning the first two championships. Tauranga Boys' cruised to a 95-run victory over Rotorua Central in 2012, before accounting for Otumoetai Cadets in 2013.

Rotorua Central won in 2014 and 2015, defeating Mount Maunganui and Otumoetai Cadets, while Cadets bounced back last year, chasing down Central's total of 104/8 for the loss of just two wickets in the final.

Due to a congested cricket calendar last season, the T20 championship was put on hold until this season.

BOPCA 2017/18 T20 Championship Schedule
October 7 - Rounds 1 and 2
October 14 - Rounds 3 and 4
January 13 - Rounds 5 and 6
January 20 - Round 7 and finals playoffs