Geyser City need a win

Geyser's Pete Walters. Western Bay of Plenty reserve grade Geyser City first XI v Te Puke, Ray Boord Park. Club cricket. 03 December 2016 Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker RGP 05Dec16 -

There is plenty of pressure on teams in the Western Bay of Plenty Cricket Association Reserve Grade competition.

There are just three qualifying rounds remaining before the final six to contest the championship are decided.

In Pool One, Sikh Sports and Geyser City sit third and fourth in the standings, with both teams needing to win to remain in contention.

Geyser City will travel from their Rotorua base to square off against R&A Sangha at Fergusson Park tomorrow. Saturday

Geyser City are one of the big improvers from the WBOPCA first round and victory over the Western Bay of Plenty Indian team would cement their place in the qualifying race.

Last time out, before the break for Auckland Anniversary Weekend, Geyser City had a hard-fought four-wicket victory over a gritty Katikati side at Fergusson Park, Tauranga.

The Sikh Sports XI, who are working through affiliation with the Greerton Cricket Club, play Tauranga Boys' College Second XI.

The Tauranga students have made an unbeaten start to the qualifying competition and victory would put them in the box seat to make the top six for the championship rounds.

Joint Pool One frontrunners Lake Taupo CC will be heavily favoured to keep their season winning run alive when they play Katikati in the Western Bay of Plenty.

Greerton have some work to do in Pool Two to guarantee qualification for the top six.

The Pemberton Park-based side face a big challenge at Blake Park, when they meet long-time Reserve Grade heavyweights Mount Maunganui.

The Mount second XI have won multiple Western Bay titles and have become the benchmark in Western Bay Reserve Grade cricket.

Defending champions Te Puke, who have turned their form around in the second half of the season, should prove too strong for Aquinas College.

Whakatane United have championship aspirations on their agenda after two straight wins and should defeat Cadets in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

WBOPCA Reserve Grade draw

Reserve Grade
Pool One: Katikati v Lake Taupo CC, Fergusson2; R&A Sangha v Geyser City, Fergusson3; Tauranga Boys College v Sikh Sports, Blake3.
Points: Lake Taupo CC 40, Tauranga Boys College 40, Sikh Sports 27, Geyser City 23, R&A Sangha 15, Katikati 11.
Pool Two: Aquinas College v Te Puke, Fergusson1; Whakatane United v Cadets, Rex Morepeth Park; Greerton v Mount Maunganui, Pemberton Park.
Points: Te Puke 40, Whakatane United 40, Greerton 26, Cadets 25, Mount Maunganui 15, Aquinas College 9.
B Grade
Tauranga Boys' College thirds v Singh XI, Blake2; Grasshoppers v Mount Maunganui College, Mitchell Park; Wanderers v Bethlehem College, Gordon Spratt Reserve; Mount Maunganui v Albion, Blake4.
Points: Tauranga Boys' College thirds 12, Wanderers 12, Albion 6, Singh XI 6, Mount Maunganui 6, Bethlehem College 6, Grasshoppers 0, Mount Maunganui College 0.

■ In the local Rotorua Senior reserve competition today, Eastern Pirates take on BOP Indians Reserves at Ray Boord Park, while Geyser City travel to Owen Delaney Park to take on Taupo Old Boys 2. There is also an all Taupo game at Owen Delaney with Taupo Old Boys 1 facing Taupo Lakes Second XI.