Cricket: Five fight for final spots

TWENTY TWENTY: The next round of the Baywide T20 competition is on this weekend. Pictured are Indians players Mukund Ranchoud (left) and Bipul Das in action last weekend. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

The Baywide T20 title will be fought out over the next two weekends at Fergusson Park in Tauranga, with the Williams Cup taking a break because of Bay of Plenty representative commitments.

Going into round five and six tomorrow, five teams are contenders for a berth in the final.

With two points for a win, Mount Maunganui sit on top of the standings with eight points and one-point advantage from Greerton and Rotorua Central.

Lurking a further two points adrift are Te Puke and Otumoetai Cadets.

While the third and fourth rounds of play were affected by rain, several players have made significant contributions for their sides.

Leading the batting leaderboard is Central all-rounder Jason Trembath who had smashed 148 runs with a top score of 92. Tauranga Boys' College mentor Mark Orchards sits in second place with 109 runs and a high score of 84no.

Te Puke stalwart Stephen Crossan scored a century to be third on the standings.

Mount Maunganui all-rounder Alex Gooding leads the bowling stakes with seven wickets and best figures of 3-21.

The key match-up in the early afternoon round at Fergusson Park tomorrow is an inter-city battle between Cadets and defending Baywide T20 champions Central.

There is always an intensity when the two sides meet with no quarter asked for or given.

In other games, Greerton square off with Whakatane United, Mount Maunganui meet Tauranga Boys' College and BOP Indians facing Te Puke.

Cadets will have little respite on the day, when they back-up from the Central match to play Greerton in the late afternoon round.

In the other round six matches, the BOP Indians play Whakatane United, Mount Maunganui and Te Puke meet, and Central play Tauranga Boys' College.

-Baywide T20 competition draw tomorrow (first game at noon):

Round Five: Central v Cadets, Fergusson3; Whakatane United v Greerton, Fergusson2; Tauranga Boys' College v Mount Maunganui, Fergusson4; BOP Indians v Te Puke, Fergusson1.

Round Six: BOP Indians v Whakatane United, Fergusson4; Te Puke v Mount Maunganui, Fergusson2; Greerton v Cadets, Fergusson1; Central v Tauranga Boys' College, Fergusson3.

-Points Table: Mount Maunganui 8, Greerton 7, Central 7, Te Puke 5, Cadets 5, Tauranga Boys' College 2, Whakatane United 2, BOP Indians 2.