Williams Cup cricket: Two centuries and a seven-wicket bag highlights of opening round

Greerton's Taylor Bettelheim (left) scored 111 and Daniel Spencer took 7-10. Photo / Supplied

The Williams Cup kicked off in spectacular fashion on Saturday with two centuries and a seven wicket bag.

Element IMF Cadets batsman Tim Pringle hammered the second equal highest Versatile Tauranga-sponsored Williams Cup score of the last decade when he blasted 174 runs off 137 balls against Craigs Investment Partners Geyser at the Tauranga Domain.

Batting at three, Pringle anchored the Cadets innings belting 17 fours and six sixes as his team posted 299 all out.

Only Greerton's Cameron Neal has bettered Pringle's Williams Cup total in the last 10 years with 194 in January 2014, with Tai Bridgman-Raison also posting 174 runs four seasons ago.

A half-century from Geyser skipper Cody Fell gave his side some optimism, before they were bowled out for 186, to give the hosts a 113 run win.

Spencer Wills and James McCabe grabbed three wickets apiece for the home side.

Owen Delany Park in Taupō hosted the one-way battle between Eves Realty Greerton and Generation Homes Lake Taupo. Greerton opener Taylor Bettelheim was in superlative touch belting 111, which included fourteen fours as the Western Bay visitors posted 239 for the loss of nine wickets.

Lake Taupo bowler Joe O'Donoghue finished his spell with four wickets at a cost of 71 runs.

Dan Spencer celebrated his 100th game in the Greerton premier uniform in style, slaying the Lake Taupo batsmen with seven wickets for just 10 runs. Spencer's remarkable haul sits behind only Black Cap Trent Boult's 8-37 eight years ago, in the last decade.

Lake Taupo were rolled for 57 in the 23rd over with their highest score of 16 telling of their tale of woe.

Northern Districts professional player Bharat Popli led Bayleys Central Indians to a four-wicket victory over Flying Mullet Te Puke when he crafted an unbeaten 82 at Smallbone Park.

Te Puke set the home side a target of 196 with skipper Stephen Crossan top scoring with 55 and Sam Lund picking up three wickets for Central Indians.

Popli, who owns the Bay of Plenty senior representative centuries with 11 tons, put on a near flawless batting display as the Rotorua combined side got home in the 46th over.

The shining light in the Te Puke bowling attack was Josh Earle who took four wickets for 32 runs.

Last season's Baywide Champion of Champions Bond & Co Mount Maunganui cruised to victory against Holland Beckett Law Tauranga Boys' College. The students were bowled out for 102 with Mount stalwarts Chris Atkinson and Peter Drysdale troubling the Tauranga Boys' batsmen with three wickets each.

The dismissal of Ben Pomare for 33 brought Ben Musgrave (29no) and Peter Drysdale (27) together, who combined to take Mount Maunganui through to a nine-wicket win.

Williams Cup round one results:

Cadets 299 (Tim Pringle 174, Chris Mascall 38; Cohen Stewart 3-57, Joshua Simpson 3/59) defeated Geyser 186 (Cody Fell 53, Daniel Fisher 31; Spencer Wills 3-27, James McCabe 3-36)

Greerton 239/9 (Taylor Bettelheim 111, Jared Tutty 26no; Joe O'Donoghue 4-71) defeated Lake Taupo 57 (Daniel Spencer 7-10)

Te Puke 195/9 (Stephen Crossan 55, Josh Earle 33, Hamish Wilde 30no; Sam Lund 3-44) lost to Central Indians 196/6 (Bharat Popli 82no; Josh Earle 4-32)

Tauranga Boys' College 102 (Charles Williams 26; Chris Atkinson 3-15, Peter Drysdale 3-26) lost to Mount Maunganui 103/1 (Ben Pomare 33, Ben Musgrave 29no, Peter Drysdale 27no)

Papamoa the bye

Points (provisional): Cadets 6, Greerton 6, Central Indians 6, Mount Maunganui 6, Geyser 0, Lake Taupo 0, Te Puke 0, Tauranga Boys' College 0.