Action from the Rotorua/Taupo senior reserve grade T20 final at Smallbone Park.
The Bay of Plenty Indians have clinched their third consecutive T20 title in the Rotorua/Taupo senior reserve grade.
The local Indians side defeated Freedom2play Barbarians in the last round-robin match on Saturday to qualify for the T20 final later that afternoon.
Indians met a strong GM Painters Lake Taupo CC 2nd Xl in the final at Smallbone Park.
Batting first, Indians set a target of 145/7 for Lake Taupo to chase - the top score from captain Shonit Chandra with 34 runs and teammate Sukh Singh closely behind hitting 30.
Lake Taupo's Hedley Darlington impressed with the ball for his side taking two wickets for 20 runs.
In the second innings Indians' excellent fielding restricted Lake Taupo to 128/6 to win the T20 title with the home side's Navpreet Singh taking three wickets for just 23 runs.
The winning Bay of Plenty Indians team. PHOTO/ SUPPLIED
Chandra said he was delighted to win especially after his side had been "on the ropes" in the first innings after losing several early wickets.
"I have to be honest I was very worried at one point," Chandra said. "It was always going to be a close game - Taupo are a very good side and were controlling the match at the beginning. Also they had won the pre-Christmas [game] so that was on my mind too.
"It was very important to have that middle partnership with myself and Sukh to get us out of a bit of a hole. We made sure to run for doubles instead of just singles so they would be under pressure when it was their turn at the crease."
Chandra added he was impressed by his team's fielding performance and said they created an "uncomfortable" batting environment for Lake Taupo in the second innings.
"Our fielding was excellent, especially at a ground like Smallbone - there's a lot of green to cover," Chandra said. "We had to stop all those double runs and make sure they only got singles.
"It worked well and we also made sure our bowling was impressive and to keep vocal. You don't want to give anyone an easy ride in close games like this."
Indians can add this title to their cabinet trophy along with their recent second national cricket title at in the New Zealand Indian Sports Association T20 cricket tournament.
Chandra said his team would now look to carry on that winning form into the after-Christmas, 40-over competition after "under performing" in round one.
"It's a great confidence booster. I don't know what will happen but I would say we have a team to do the job.
"We just seemed to lose focus a little bit before Christmas but we are capable of pushing for that top trophy."
The 40-over competition will kick back into action this weekend.
The Rotorua/Taupo senior reserve grade includes three trophies - the pre-Christmas competition, after-Christmas and T20 competition.
Bay of Plenty Indians 145/7 (S. Chandra 34; S. Singh 30; H. Darlington 2/20) beat GM Painters Lake Taupo CC 2nd Xl 128/6 (A. Davey 40n/o; R. How 14; N. Singh 3/23).
