Cricket: Central get off to flyer in T20

Bayleys Central got off to a winning start in the Baywide T20 premier competition on Saturday. Pictured are Central players Johnny Barrow (left) and Jason Trembath. Photo / Stephen Parker

Bayleys Central's title defence in the Baywide T20 competition is off to a great start, after knocking over Te Puke at home.

The first two rounds of the smash and bash competition were held at Rotorua's Ray Boord Park on Saturday.

Bayleys Central (Rotorua) have won the T20 competition the past two seasons and are aiming for a three-peat.

After sitting out the bye in round one, the defending champions entered the fray in the late afternoon round on Saturday to defeat Te Puke.

Central batted first and posted a solid score of 165/4 with Ryan Pedley (64) and Johnny Barrow (34) getting among the runs. Te Puke were restricted to 115/9, which gave the Rotorua side a good start to their T20 title defence.

Meanwhile, Rotorua's other premier side Bay of Plenty Indian Sports had a loss in round one before sitting out round two with the bye.

Otumoetai Cadets set Indian Sports a big target when they posted 172/5. Zac Scott top-scored with 49 runs for Otumoetai.

Otumoetai then ripped through Indian Sports' batting attack to remove them for just 60 runs.

Ben Christensen was in grand form with the ball, grabbing four wickets at a cost of only three runs. Cadets are the early leaders in the competition after also beating Greerton in the second round.

- Baywide Lonestar T20 results on Saturday

Round One:

Mount Maunganui 70 (Christian MacDonald 3/12, Matt Dwight 2/17, Brody Gilroy 2/21) lost to Te Puke 71/2.

Cadets 172/5 (Zac Scott 49, Scott Steward 32) defeated BOP Indian Sports 60 (Ben Christensen 4/3, Donovan Deeble 2/8, James Birchall 2/12).

Tauranga Boys College 109/9 (Mark Orchard; Cam Neal 4/25) defeated Greerton 108/8 (C Neal 25, Shane Wineti 23; Sean Wakelin 4/18).

Bayleys Central the bye.

Round Two:

Cadets 189/4 (Donavan Deeble 104, Scott Steward 31) defeated Greerton 135 (Cam Neal 85; Morton Freer 3/11, S Steward 3/28).

Mount Maunganui 106/7 (Jimmy Davis 20) defeated Tauranga Boys' College 100/9 (Nick Smith 4/20, Chris Atkinson 3/20).

Bayleys Central 165/4 (Ryan Pedley 64, Johnny Barrow 34; Matt Dwight 2/30) defeated Te Puke 115/9 (Sam Tallott 20; Mark Chapman 3/30).

BOP Indian Sports the bye.