Cricket: Unbeaten sides clash for bragging rights

Central allrounder Jason Trembath hopes his side can follow up their win over Greerton in the Williams Cup.

Two unbeaten Williams Cup sides will meet at the Te Puke Domain this weekend, both looking to take the outright lead in the Bay Wide Premier competition.

Element IMF Cadets, who have won the Williams Cup nine times in the last 19 years, laid down the gauntlet to the other challengers when they beat defending title holders Mount Maunganui by 83 runs last weekend.

Tomorrow the perennial Williams Cup heavyweights meet long-time rivals City Sports Bar Te Puke, who are the only other unbeaten team after two rounds of the 2014 title race.

Te Puke also has plenty of Williams Cup history, having won the silverware on a record 14 occasions dating back to 1939.

Last weekend two of Cadets' new recruits played a big part in their victory over Mount Maunganui.

Christian MacDonald and Chris Norton both grabbed three wickets each, with MacDonald taking his three at a cost of just six runs.

Cadets stalwart Nick Earl anchored the Cadets win over the Mount with an unbeaten 71.

Te Puke has a well balanced line-up, with Tai Bridgeman and Mitch McCann both closing in on 300 runs for the Baywide season.

They also have a strong bowling team, with Bay reps Mitch McCann and Jeremy Bates, along with Richard Turner and Raminder Singh, who took 4/17 in last weekend's win over BOP Indians.

Another long-time rivalry will play out when Eves Realty Greerton and Mount Maunganui square off at Pemberton Park.

The two Western Bay sides have won the last two editions of the Williams Cup, with the Mount triumphing last season and Greerton in 2012.

Both teams, who suffered defeat last Saturday, will be strengthened by the return of their Bay of Plenty representative players after Hawke Cup duty last weekend.

Skipper Pete Drysdale and Tim Clarke, Tony Goodin and Dale Swan return to the Mount, while Greerton welcome back Brett Hampton, Cameron Neal and Tommy Clout.

Whakatane United, who posted a convincing victory over Tauranga Boys College last Saturday, will meet Central who are coming off an upset away victory against Greerton.

If both sides field their top line-ups at Smallbone Park in Rotorua, play could go down to late in the afternoon before a result is declared.

The winner of the Tauranga Boys College clash with BOP Indians at Nicholson Field will give the winners their first points in the 2014 competition. Both teams play with real passion for the game and the encounter should be a close affair.

Williams Cup Premier Baywide draw for February 1:

City Sports Bar Te Puke v Element IMF Cadets at Te Puke Domain

Eves Realty Greerton v Mount Maunganui at Pemberton Park

Tauranga Boys College v BOP Indians at Nicholson Field

Central v Whakatane United at Smallbone Park

Points Table:

Element IMF Cadets 6, City Sports Bar Te Puke 6, Mount Maunganui 3, Eves Realty Greerton 3, Central 3, Whakatane United 3, BOP Indians 0, Tauranga Boys College 0.