Mount Maunganui and Greerton to battle for Bay of Plenty Cup supremacy

Eves Realty Greerton beat Element IMF Cadets to book their place in the final. Photo / File

Eves Realty Greerton and Carrus Mount Maunganui will enter the battle to decide the 2019 Bay of Plenty Cup title with plenty of championship winning experience.

Greerton are the defending Cup champions and also won the Baywide premier prize in 2013 and 2014. Twelve months ago they defeated Element IMF Cadets in the final to complete an unbeaten run of eight straight Cup victories.

Mount Maunganui lead the Bay of Plenty Cup role of honour, winning the second edition of the Bay of Plenty Cup in the 2008/2009 season and adding their name to the trophy on five further occasions.

Three weeks ago, the two long-time rivals met for the first time this season and produced an absolute thriller, Mount Maunganui sneaking home by six runs.

Mount Maunganui batted first and set the Pemberton Park-based side a solid target when they posted 239 for the loss of nine wickets. Long-time Mount player Peter Drysdale led the attack on the Greerton bowlers with 90 runs. Lee Watkins was the best of the Greerton bowlers with four wickets.

Greerton skipper Shane Wineti directed the Greerton reply with 82 runs before being adjudged lbw to the bowling of Drysdale. The match went down to the wire before Greerton were bowled out for 233 to give Mount Maunganui a hard fought win. Drysdale backed up his batting heroics taking three wickets at the cost of 25 runs.

Owen Delaney Park in Taupō, will host the Bay of Plenty Plate final between Generation Homes Lake Taupō and Bond & Co Tauranga Boys' College. The two finalists met on the opening day of the current season with 440-plus runs scored in the match.

Tauranga Boys' took first use of the batting strip at Waipuna Park. Niven Dovey top scored with 55 runs while Tim Clarke and Dillon Preston also made useful contributions with the bat. Roger Urbahn was the best of the visiting bowlers with four wickets for 32 runs.

Michael Mitchell and Roger Urbahn half-centuries and 49 runs from Jack Wiggins took Lake Taupō to a five-wicket win.

Bay of Plenty Cricket finals
Bay of Plenty Cup: Greerton v Mount Maunganui, Pemberton Park.

Bay of Plenty Plate : Lake Taupō v Tauranga Boys' College, Owen Delany Park.

Bay of Plenty Cup champions
2018/19 Greerton, 2017/18 Otumoetai Cadets, 2016/17 Mount Maunganui, 2015/16 Greerton, 2014/15 Greerton, 2013/14 Mount Maunganui, 2012/13 Mount Maunganui, 2011/12 Ōtūmoetai Cadets), 2010/11 Mount Maunganui, 2009/10 Mount Maunganui, 2008/09 Mount Maunganui, 2007/08 Ōtūmoetai Cadets.