Central soar to second equal

Central are within striking distance from making the playoffs for the Baywide Twenty 20 cricket competition.

Despite losing their first match to current leaders Tauranga Boys' College, the Rotorua side cruised to an easy victory over Greerton to sit second equal with Cadets and Mount Maunganui in the latest rounds of the Lonestar Tauranga & Rotorua Twenty 20 competition in Tauranga at the weekend.

Tauranga Boys' with 10 points are in the box seat with one round remaining in the preliminary competition on Saturday morning followed by the playoffs in the afternoon.

The table leaders won a thriller against Central at the weekend. The Rotorua side batted first and were removed for just 99 runs. Central batsman Peter Wood top scored for his team with 35. Tauranga won the match with just one ball remaining.

However, Central came back in the afternoon with a solid performance against Greerton. The Rotorua side had to chase down Greerton's 101/8 and made easy work of it, posting 102/2.

Led by Mount Maunganui batsman Khan Greig, his side got through to 166/7 against Greerton. The Mount bowlers had a field day, dismissing Greerton for 75, with seven Mount bowlers sharing in the spoils. Captain Dan Hill and Michael Douglas grabbed two wickets apiece.

In other round five encounters, East Bay United restricted Bay of Plenty Indians to a modest 79/7 before grabbing a six-wicket win and Te Puke upset long time rivals Cadets in a five wicket victory.

Tauranga Boys' secured their second win, defeating Te Puke in round six. Te Puke were dismissed for just 74, with James Boyd in good form with the ball, finishing with 4/13. Cameron Neal blasted Tauranga Boys' team to victory with two big sixes, his side losing just four wickets on the way to victory.

In spite of East Bay United tasting defeat in their second match against Cadets, Alex Yates' gritty 47 took him past 500 runs for the season. The Eastern Bay side were dismissed for 95, with Cadets getting home with five wickets in hand. Mount Maunganui blasted their second big win of the day against the Indians.

- Baywide Twenty 20 results for Round 5:

Central 99 (P Wood 35; C Williams 2/13, M Orchard 2/14, M Timoti 2/15) lost to Tauranga Boys' College 100/8 (M Orchard 35; B Watkinson 3/15).

Bay of Plenty Indians 78/7 (J Omar 2/2) lost to East Bay United 79/4 (A Yates 37no)

Cadets 103/9 (N Earl 20; J Kroesen 2/11, P van Meekeren 2/15) lost to Te Puke 105/5 (J Bates 26, M McCann 20, S Crossan 20).

Mount Maunganui 166/7 (K Greig 51, D Hill 36; S Braat 4/16) defeated Greerton 75 (D Hill 2/11, M Douglas 2/19).

- Round 6:

Greerton 101/8 (S Wineti 31, K Hodder 22; D Stewart 2/17, D Collier 2/22) lost to Central 102/2 (K Spiers 40no, A Bennett 27, P Wood 21).

Te Puke 74 (J Boyd 4/13, H Conway 3/15) lost to Tauranga Boys College 75/4 (C Neal 25no)

East Bay United 95 (A Yates 47; A Peacocke 3/8, J Birchall 3/12) lost to Cadets 96/5 (J Evemy 29, Z Scott 27, M Hill 22)

Mount Maunganui 138 (R Lethbridge 39, D Swan 35; B Das 2/30) defeated Bay of Plenty Indians 110

- Baywide T20 points table: Tauranga Boys' College 10, Cadets 8, Central 8, Mount Maunganui 8, Greerton 6, Te Puke 6, East Bay United 2, BOP Indians 0.