Central Indians aiming to end testing BOPCA Williams Cup campaign on a high

Central Indians' Stephen Nicholls (left) and Rohan Gosai, pictured grabbing a run in a game against this weekend's opposition Element IMF Cadets, earlier this season. Photo/File

Rotorua's Bayleys Central Indians are aiming to end a testing debut campaign on a high.

The local side are out of the running to reach the top four in the BOPCA Williams Cup, a target set at the beginning of the second round of the competition.

But the team have much pride still to play for, in their last game of the season, when they take on top of the table Element IMF Cadets away at the Tauranga Domain tomorrow .

Co-captain Andrew Gibbs said he wanted his team to have "fun" on the field, and added the final match would be a good opportunity for reserve players "to step up to the mark".

"We haven't had enough consistency in the team to make the top four," he said. "Of course that's disappointing but we all want to end our season well.

"I just want the players to go out and have a heap of fun. We'll be fielding a lot of reserves and so there's the opportunity for players to get a taste of premier cricket who wouldn't normally have a chance."

Rotorua Central and Bay of Plenty Indians combined forces at the beginning of the season and it's been a baptism of fire for the local side, currently sitting bottom of the table.

But Gibbs highlighted Ben Sandford, the Williams Cup fifth highest scoring batsman this season, opening bowler Himesh Goshai and batsman Stephen Nicholls as "high performers".

"Overall the joining of the sides has been a big success. It's definitely been a positive for Rotorua cricket, he said.

"I'm not 100 per cent happy with the side's performance, there were a lot of missed opportunities and, towards the back end of the season, we've lost a lot of players because of other commitments.

"There have been some quality moments though. Ben's [Sandford] 132 runs was huge last weekend, it was just a shame we couldn't back that up with a win. And then Himesh [Goshai] and Steve [Nicholls] have really showed they can perform at this level."

Meanwhile, the four top qualifiers to fight out the BOPCA Championship were done and dusted last weekend.

No matter what the weather gods bring tomorrow, the four semifinalists are Element IMF Cadets, Carrus Mount Maunganui, Eves Realty Greerton and New World Te Puke.

Greerton take on Carrus Mount Maunganui at Pemberton Park while second from bottom Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys' College play New World Te Puke at Blake Park 3.

Looking ahead Cadets and Mount Maunganui will square off in the major semifinal on Saturday March 18, while Greerton will play Te Puke in the minor semifinal.

The winner of the major semifinal will earn a direct route to the Williams Cup title decider on Saturday March 25.

The loser will then have to back up the following day (Sunday March 19) to play the winner of the minor last four match.

During the Williams Cup season there have been a number of outstanding individual performances.

Experienced Te Puke batsmen Tai Bridgman-Raison leads the batting stakes with 348 runs while Cadets all-rounder Ben Christensen has had another good season with the ball to head the bowling stakes list with 17 wickets.

Williams Cup, Saturday:

Element IMF Cadets v Bayleys Central Indians, Tauranga Domain, Tauranga.

Eves Realty Greerton v Carrus Mount Maunganui, Pemberton Park, Tauranga.

Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys' College v New World Te Puke, Blake 3, Tauranga.

Williams Cup points: Cadets 52, Mount Maunganui 46, Greerton 40, Te Puke 28, Tauranga Boys' College 16, Central Indians 15.

Williams Cup leaderboards:

Runs: 348 Tai Bridgman-Raison (Te Puke) 311 Morton Freer (Cadets) 309 Gareth Wallace (Te Puke) 242 Shane Wineti (Greerton 241 Ben Sandford (Central Indians).

Wickets: 17 Ben Christensen (Cadets) 16 Cam Riley (Te Puke) 13 Alex Gooding (Te Puke) 12 Kamal Bains (Cadets) 11 Scott Steward (Cadets).