The Williams Cup has gone to Eves Realty Greerton.
The Williams Cup has gone to Eves Realty Greerton.
Eves Realty Greerton have won their fourth Williams Cup since their first success in the 1983-84 season, beating Element IMF Cadets in the final.
Cadets took first use of the wicket at the Bay Oval on Saturday, with the Greerton bowlers grabbing the early ascendancy. At five down with just38 runs on the board, Cadets were in strife. The arrival of Cadets keeper Daniel Maathuis to join captain Jono Boult in the middle got the Tauranga Domain based side back on track with the pair putting on a 117-run stand.
The introduction of Greerton change bowler Tom MacRury put the momentum back with Greerton, as he removed both Boult (55) and Maathuis (56). Cadets lost their last five wickets for eight runs, finishing their innings with a total of 163. Jared Tutty grabbed a four-wicket bag and MacRury finished with excellent figures of three wickets for just six runs. Tommy Clout also did plenty of damage taking three wickets.
Tom MacRury and skipper Shane Wineti opened the Greerton reply. The Cadets bowling attack had some early success, with Greerton losing three wickets for 56 runs. MacRury anchored his side's victory, with a mixture of defensive shots and big heaves over the boundary, to end his innings on 73 runs. Umesh Ranaraja finished off Greerton's five-wicket win with a four, to take him to an unbeaten 60 in the score book.
The Williams Cup success was a notable triumph for Greerton skipper Shane Wineti, who was in charge when his team lost the 2013 and 2014 Williams Cup title deciders.
While there was disappointment in the Cadets camp, there is some consolation in that they should take out the Hart Family (champion of champions) Trophy at the Bay of Plenty Cricket prize giving, after winning the Baywide Cup and finishing runner-up in the Twenty20 and Williams Cup competitions this season.
Williams Cup Final - March 24
Element IMF Cadets 163 (D Maathuis 56, J Boult 55; J Tutty 4/23, T MacRury 3/6, T Clout 3/32) lost to Eves Realty Greerton 165/5 (T MacRury 73, U Ranaraja 60no; M Galappaththi 2/16, J Boult 2/38)
