Cricket: Central Indians in hot form

Today Cadets cricket team travel to Rotorua to square off with Bayleys Central Indians at Smallbone Park.

Defending Bay of Plenty Cricket Association Williams Cup title holders Element IMF Cadets will want to get their 2018 campaign back on track, after losing to Eves Realty Greerton in the opening round last weekend.

Today,Cadets travel to Rotorua to square off with Bayleys Central Indians at Smallbone Park.

The emergence of a new top order batsman, against Greerton, gives the Tauranga-based premier side additional firepower in their already strong batting line-up. Former Christchurch player Joshua Bates, in just his second appearance in Bay of Plenty cricket, blasted 103 runs last weekend, including 10 4s and six 6s.

Cadets could face a stern test at the home of Rotorua cricket with Central Indians having won four of five encounters since the second half of the season resumed three weeks ago.

Three Twenty20 wins were followed by the Rotorua representatives chasing down 180, to defeat Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys' College in the first round of the Williams Cup.

Carrus Mount Maunganui, who have won the Williams Cup on four occasions in the past decade, made a winning start to chasing further success in the Bay of Plenty Cricket competition which dates back to the 1930s. A round two meeting with Tauranga Boys' College at Blake Park could produce a tight contest.

The game could feature a batting duel between two in-form Baywide batsmen. Mount Maunganui's Brenton Thompson, who made his Bay of Plenty representative debut last season, came out swinging last weekend belting 91 runs against New World Te Puke. Tauranga Boys' College opener Marcel Collett never gives his wicket away without a fight and was in solid form at the recent Super Eight competition in Napier.

GM Painters Lake Taupo CC, who earned promotion to Baywide cricket last season, have learned about life in the fast lane of the premier game. While wins on the board have been few, they have learnt plenty about the intensity of top echelon of Bay club cricket, which will serve them well in future seasons.

Today,Greerton pay a visit to the Kaimanawa Reserve to square off with the Great Lake region representatives. One Greerton player who could prove a real thorn in the home team's side is leg-spinner James Boyd. Last Saturday he weaved magic with the ball taking five wickets at a cost of 46 runs.

Williams Cup draw - Saturday
Bayleys Central Indians v Element IMF Cadets, Smallbone Park; GM Painters Lake Taupo CC v Eves Realty Greerton, Kaimanawa Reserve; Carrus Mount Maunganui v Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College. Blake2; New World Te Puke the bye.

Points Table:
Mount Maunganui 6, Greerton 6, Central Indians 6, Te Puke 0, Cadets 0, Tauranga Boys College 0.

BOPCA Williams Cup Honours Board 2018
Batting (Centuries) 103 – Joshua Bates (Element IMF Cadets) v Greerton
Bowling (Five wickets) 5/46 - James Boyd (Eves Realty Greerton) v Cadets