Cricket: Central Indians thump Lake Taupo in their first win of season

Central Indians batsman Jake Rowe was in fine form against Lake Taupo. Photo / Stephen Parker

Bayleys Central Indians have posted their first win of the Baywide Cup season and it was a convincing one.

The Rotorua-based side hosted GM Painters Lake Taupo CC and thumped them by 140 runs yesterday.In spite of the wet weather lurking around the periphery of the region, all three Baywide Cup games produced a result, albeit with minor rain delays.

Central Indians batted first against Lake Taupo, with Jake Rowe controlling the tempo of his side's innings scoring an unbeaten 99. Stephen Nichols (57) and Shonit Chandra (38) also made solid contributions to their side's total of 275/9. Moko Rivers and Roger Urbahn were the major wicket-takers for the Taupo team.

Central Indians medium pace bowler and captain Andrew Gibbs led his side's charge for victory, grabbing four wickets, as the Lake Taupo side were bowled out for 130. Central veteran Mark Chapman showed he has lost none of his tricks of the trade, returning figures of 25/2, with Habib Malik the best of the visitors' batting attack with 39 runs.

Defending Baywide Cup champions Carrus Mount Maunganui received a setback to their defence of the trophy when they were beaten by New World Te Puke at Blake Park.

Te Puke's teenage seamer Josh Earle did the damage, removing five Mount batsmen at a cost of just 11 runs, as Mount Maunganui were bowled out for 78. Te Puke skipper Stephen Crossan led his team to an easy eight-wicket victory with an unbeaten 45.

The clash at Pemberton Park between hosts Eves Realty Greerton and Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College was a high-scoring affair, with nearly 500 runs notched up during the match.

Batting first, Tauranga Boys set Greerton an extremely solid target of 243/7. Ben Pomare top-scored with 70 with Matt Golding was also in good touch with 61 runs.

Greerton lost two early wickets before Umesh Ranaraja (55) and skipper Shane Wineti (47) came together to put on an 111-run partnership. Tommy Clout then had the boundaries of the Greerton suburban park under fire, as he hammered out an unbeaten 63 -including five sixes - as the home side posted a hard-fought four-wicket win.

Baywide Cup results - Saturday, November 11

Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College 243/7 (Ben Pomare 70, Matt Golding 61; Umesh Ranaraja 2/39) lost to Eves Realty Greerton 246/6 (Tommy Clout 63no, U Ranaraja 55, Shane Wineti 47, Iman Singh 2/43).

Carrus Mount Maunganui 78 (Josh Earle 5/11, Christian MacDonald 2/18, Cam Riley 2/20) lost to New World Te Puke 79/2 (Stephen Crossan 45no).

Bayleys Central Indians 275/9 (Jake Rowe 99no, Stephen Nicols 57, Shonit Chandra 38; Moko Rivers 4/54, Roger Urbahn 3/56) beat GM Painters Lake Taupo CC 130 (Habib Malik 39; Andrew Gibbs 4/40, Mark Chapman 2/25).

Points Table

Greerton 13, Cadets 10, Tauranga Boys College 10, Te Puke 10, Mount Maunganui 7, Central Indians 6, Lake Taupo CC 3.