Cricket: Mount Maunganui out, Greerton remain unbeaten in Williams Cup

Eves Realty Greerton have continued their unbeaten run in the Williams Cup.

A home semi-final awaits Greerton after they dispatched long-time rivals Carrus Mount Maunganui on Saturday.

Both sides entered the contest with unbeaten Williams Cup starts.

Batting first, Greerton reached 209/8 in their allotted overs, with Pip Thickpenny - who was playing reserve grade cricket for Whakatane United in the first half of the season - top scoring with 80 runs. Dan Smith produced the Mount's best bowling figures taking three wickets at a cost of 37 runs. Nick Smith also took three wickets.

The home team made a valiant attempt for victory and were right in the game throughout most of the encounter, before the Greerton bowlers tightened the screws. Mount Maunganui were finally removed for 191 to give Greerton the win. Logan Carr posted a half century and Josh Bates took four wickets.

New World Te Puke master blaster Tai Bridgman-Raison took his tally of centuries to 13 for the Te Puke Cricket Club when his team defeated GM Painters Lake Taupo CC in a high-scoring match at Owen Delaney Park in Taupo.

The visitors posted 267 for the loss of seven wickets, with Bridgman-Raison belting 146 at a tad under a run a ball, in an innings that contained 22 boundaries. When the Te Puke opener was removed in the 47th over the visitors were in a strong position at 248/4.

The Taupo batsmen were not fazed by the big target and set about chasing the total down. Opener Shaun Davies led the chase with 43 runs and Roger Urbahn top scored with 46. Tail-ender Abhinav Batta chipped in with 35 runs before his side were removed for 195 to give Te Puke their first win of the current Williams Cup.

Tai Bridgman-Raison's 13th century equalled Otumoetai Cadets batsman Llorne Howell's Western Bay of Plenty premier club cricket record of three figure scores set a decade ago.

Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College and Element IMF Cadets finished their encounter at Nicholson Field in a rare-as-hens-teeth tied result. Tauranga Boys batted first and posted 164 runs and Cadets finished their innings locked on the same score.

Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys' College tied with Element IMF Cadets as both scored 164 runs.

Williams Cup Results - Saturday, March 3

Eves Realty Greerton: 209/8 (P Thickpenny 80, S Wineti 29; D Smith 3/37, N Smith 3/52) defeated Carrus Mount Maunganui 191 (L Carr 50, D Smith 28, N Smith 26; J Bates 4/35, J Tutty 2/27).

New World Te Puke: 267/7 (T Bridgman-Raison 146, A Blackett 43; J Dolan 3/47, D Wilkins 2/60) defeated GM Painters Lake Taupo CC 195 (R Urbahn 46, SB Davies 43, AB Batta 35; C MacDonald 4/30, B Gilroy 3/23).

Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys' College 164 tied with Element IMF Cadets 164.

Bayleys Central Indians the bye.

Points Table

Greerton 33, Mount Maunganui 21, Central Indians 21, Tauranga Boys College 11, Cadets 11, Te Puke 9, Lake Taupo CC 3.