Cricket: Regional honours at stake

Rotorua cricketers will get their chance to push for regional honours when they take on Tauranga in the Attrill Cup tomorrow.

In recent seasons the long-time Bay of Plenty cricket trophy has languished at the tail-end of the cricketing season with just a solitary game played last season.

The re-introduction of the cup to the start of the season sees the two weekend round-robin tournament double as the Bay of Plenty selection trials, with places up for grabs in the senior men's squad as well as the development team.

Holders Eastern Bay of Plenty host Mount Maunganui/Te Puke at Rex Morpeth Park, while Rotorua host Tauranga at Smallbone Park tomorrow.

Rotorua's trophy cabinet has looked a little empty since losing the trophy to Eastern Bay last season.

However, they will be keen to make amends for a dismal season which saw Western Bay of Plenty dominate club cricket.

Although they will have to overcome a strong-looking Tauranga side captained by Black Caps bowler Jono Boult and boost players like Joe Carter, Cory Anderson and Ben Christensen.

However, Rotorua have a few big guns of their own with Peter Woods captaining the side. The left-hand opening batsman will partner with Kane Spiers and will look to Jason Trembath to do some damage with the ball. The left arm spinner spent the off season in Scotland playing for cricket club Carlton.

Weather permitting both matches get under way at 12pm tomorrow. The tournament will conclude next weekend in Tauranga with Eastern Bay taking on Rotorua and Tauranga against the Mount - both teams playing on Ferguson Park on Saturday October 27.

This is followed up on Sunday with Rotorua against the Mount and Tauranga taking on Eastern Bay, again on Ferguson Park.