Cricket: Rotorua Central start title defence

The Baywide T20 competition begins this Saturday in Rotorua. Rotorua Central's Vaughan Blanchard is pictured batting. Photo / Andrew Warner

Tomorrow brings the first two rounds of the season-long race for the Baywide T20 Championship.

An interesting first round match-up sees defending Baywide T20 champions Rotorua Central meet current Williams Cup title-holders City Sports Bar Te Puke on Smallbone Park in the Sulphur City.

Last season, Central and Te Puke were rewarded with Bay of Plenty Cricket silverware after years in the wilderness.

Last year's T20 match-up between the two intercity rivals saw Central winning in a rain-interrupted encounter.

Te Puke posted 133 all out with the Rotorua side reaching their rain-adjusted target of 80 with seven wickets to spare.

In other opening round games, Element IMF Cadets meet 2012 and 2013 Baywide T20 champions Tauranga Boys' College on Ray Boord Park one.

Carrus Mount Maunganui square off with Whakatane United while Eves Realty Greerton play the Bay of Plenty Indians.

The round two must-watch match at Boord Park is the Western Bay derby between Mount Maunganui and Cadets.

The two Western Bay sides share a rivalry that dates back several decades, with the winner of the second round encounter taking early-season bragging rights.

Central meet fellow Rotorua contender BOP Indians in a late-afternoon contest, Greerton play Tauranga Boys' College and Te Puke face Whakatane United.

Lonestar Tauranga T20 draw tomorrow

Round One (12pm): Element IMF Cadets v Tauranga Boys' College, Boord1; Carrus Mount Maunganui v Whakatane United, Boord2; Eves Realty Greerton v BOP Indians, Boord3; City Sports Bar Te Puke v Central, Smallbone Park.

Round Two (3.30pm): Element IMF Cadets v Carrus Mount Maunganui, Boord1; Eves Realty Greerton v Tauranga Boys College, Boord2; City Sports Bar Te Puke v Whakatane United, Boord3; Central v BOP Indians, Smallbone Park.