Central Indians aim to play with freedom

ACTION SHOT: Central Indians' player Magan Vashisht and his side are aiming to bat with freedom on the weekend. PHOTO/ BEN FRASER.

Rotorua's Bayleys Central Indians must change their "pressurised mentality" when they take on the competition leaders, warns co-captain Shonit Chandra.

Bottom-of-the-table Central Indians are up against Carrus Mount Maunganui in their fourth game of the BOPCA Baywide premier competition at Smallbone Park tomorrow.

It will be a tough contest for the home side, taking on the unbeaten Mount in the Baywide Cup match, who also top lead the way in both batting and bowling.

The Mount's Ben Musgrave has hit 152 so far with a top score of 88 not out and teammate and skipper Dale Swan has grabbed eight wickets with best figures of 4/5.

"They have a very good allround game but we won't let that get to us," said Chandra.

"We are just approaching this like any other game."

Central Indians come into the game of the back of a disappointing start to their campaign - losing two of their three fixtures including last weekend's seven-wicket loss to Element IMF Cadets.

But Chandra said he was confident his side would compete but warned a change in mentality was needed from the batsmen.

"We haven't performed with the bat but I think a lot of it is down to putting too much pressure on ourselves," he said.

"There will be a mix up in the batting order and I want players to enjoy the game.

"Too much energy has been focused on getting a win - instead I want them to just play with freedom."

It has yet to be confirmed whether the match will be played on a grass or artificial wicket.

"For us we definitely want grass - it plays to our bowling attack and we can get much more movement for our spinners."

Meanwhile second-placed Cadets square off against current Williams Cup titleholders New World Te Puke at the Tauranga Domain.

Both teams have several batsman who can blast their side to victory including Te Puke's Tai Bridgeman-Raison, who is currently tied for the most Te Puke premier centuries with the late ADG Roberts and is on a mission to own the three-figure title outright.

And defending Baywide Cup champions Eves Realty Greerton will be chasing back-to-back wins in their match-up with Tauranga Boys' College at Blake Park.

Last Saturday Greerton climbed off the bottom of the standings to beat Te Puke and will be desperate to win on Saturday to keep their 2016 title hopes alive.

BOPCA Baywide premier competition fixtures

Baywide Cup,
Saturday 12pm start:

Bayleys Central Indians v Carrus Mount Maunganui, Smallbone Park, Rotorua.

Element IMF Cadets v New World Te Puke, Tauranga Domain, Tauranga.

Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys' College v Eves Realty Greerton, Blake Park 3, Tauranga.

Points Table: Carrus Mount Maunganui 64, Element IMF Cadets 57, Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys' College 37, New World Te Puke 25, Eves Realty Greerton 20, Bayleys Central Indians 14.

Baywide Cup Leaderboard:Batting (Runs): 152 Ben Musgrave (Mount Maunganui) 111 Tim Clarke (Tauranga Boys' College) 100 Alex Gooding (Te Puke).

Bowling (Wickets): 8 Dale Swan (Mount Maunganui) 7 Nick Smith (Mount Maunganui) 7 Gurwinder Singh (Cadets).