Versatile Tauranga Williams Cup: Bay cricketers' century runs

Eves Realty Greerton's Lee Watkins in action against Rotorua's Geyser City in the Versatile Williams Cup cricket competition. Photo / George Novak

Rock-hard wickets and lightning fast outfields have seen an avalanche of runs in the opening two rounds of the 2020 Versatile Tauranga Williams Cup.

Over the past two weekends, three centuries blasted. Last Saturday, Generation Homes Lake Taupō's opening batsman Drew Brierley smashed the 2019/20 Baywide season's highest score, with 128 runs, against Bond and Co Tauranga Boys' College at Owen Delany Park in Taupō.

The Williams Cup title race opened with a bang, with Tauranga Boys' College Ben Vyver smacking 112 runs and Geyser City's Sam Kershaw posting an unbeaten 101, while Bayleys Central Indians' skipper Stephen Nicholls fell three-short of the magical three-figure mark.

This weekend, the action will continue in round three.

Defending champions Element IMF Cadets have home ground advantage when Lake Taupō pays a visit to the Tauranga Domain. While Cadets have won the Williams Cup on 11 occasions, the Cadets players will certainly draw on the defeat inflicted by the Taupō side in the Baywide T20 Championship, just a few weeks ago.

There is an extra incentive on the line in the clash between Tauranga Boys' College and Eve's Realty Greerton at Nicholson field, with the Western Bay of Plenty challenge prize of the Baker Cup up for grabs. Greerton are the current holders after taking the Baker Cup from Mount Maunganui in the opening round.

Geyser City continued their steady season progress, notching up their first Baywide win against Lake Taupō two weeks ago. However they face a touch challenge tomorrow when they face Carrus Mount Maunganui at Rotorua's Smallbone Park.

The winners of the New World Te Puke vs Central Indians clash will bank their first points of the Williams Cup competition.

- Supplied content

Versatile Tauranga Williams Cup 2020 draw:
Geyser City vs Carrus Mount Maunganui, Smallbone Park; Bond & Co Tauranga Boys' College vs Eves Realty Greerton, Nicholson Field; Element IMF Cadets vs Generation
Homes Lake Taupō, Tauranga Domain; New World Te Puke vs Bayleys Central Indians, Te Puke Domain.
Points Table: Cadets 12, Greerton 12, Geyser City 6, Tauranga Boys College 6, Lake Taupo 6, Mount Maunganui 6, Central Indians 0, Te Puke 0.