Cricket: Mid-order batting aids win

Some classy middle-order batting from Central captain Peter Wood and Raj Patel  secured the Rotorua side a resounding win over East Bay United.

The pair put on 60 (Wood) and 52 (Patel) apiece and were helped out by a solid 42 from opening batter Cameron Payne in their side's 233 all out.

United's best bowler was Steven Ford who picked up a five-wicket bag.

However, United couldn't make use of home advantage on Rex Morpeth Park at the weekend. The side regularly lost wickets with only Richie Nillesen (47) scoring any runs of note.

The United batting lineup were dismantled by good line and length bowling by all the Central bowlers who shared in the spoils, with Andrew Gibbs and Ben Watkinson the best of the bowlers with figures of 3/54 and 3/38 respectively.

In other matches in the round, Greerton posted a rare victory against Cadets, when they defeated their archrivals by six wickets at the weekend.

The visitors to Pemberton Park were troubled by the Greerton bowlers from the start and were always playing catch-up, until New Zealand under-19 player Sean Davey arrived at the crease. Davey delivered his team some

respectability, scoring an unbeaten 37 as his side were dismissed for 120.

Greerton opener Kent Hodder, gave his team the start they wanted, top scoring with a patient 54. First  XI new recruit Sidhu Suhkdeep chipped  in with a handy 27. The home side reached the target for the loss of four wickets,

to give Greerton a rare victory over the defending Baywide Cup titleholders.

Mount Maunganui, maintained their place at the top of the standings in the  Baywide competition, with a  hard-fought victory over Bay of Plenty Indians at Smallbone Park.

Peter Drysdale was a shining beacon for the Mount, who were dismissed for 187, with the Bay of Plenty opening batsman posting a solid 84 runs.

The home side's wickets were shared around with Jayvant Dhanjee returning his side's best bowling figures taking 2/23.

While the Indian batsmen came and went at one end, former Mount player Bharat Popli anchored their turn at bat, with a solid 49 not out.

However the second innings belonged to two Mount bowlers who bowled the Rotorua team out for just 106. Dale Swan grabbed a six-wicket bag with Tony Goodin returning 4/24.

Te Puke continued their renaissance this season with  a comfortable victory over Tauranga Boys' College.

Led by Matt Dwight who blasted 47 batting at seven, the visitors to Nicholson Field reached 186 all out. Charles Williams chimed in with a handy 36 with James Boyd taking 3/41 with the ball.

The home side crumbled under Te Puke's bowling attack, to be removed  for just 79, with Tom MacRury the only Tauranga Boys' batsman (36) to offer any real resistance.

Bay Development team all rounder Mitch McCann was the major destroyer grabbing four wickets at a cost of only 12 runs.