Cricket: Bay of Plenty Indians win their first title

The Bay of Plenty Indians win their first title at the annual New Zealand Indian Sports Association cricket tournament in Rotorua at the weekend. Photo/Ben Fraser

Winning their first national cricket title meant a lot to the Bay of Plenty Indians, who dedicated the victory to their foundation members.

The Rotorua-based Bay of Plenty Indians hosted the annual New Zealand Indian Sports Association cricket tournament at Ray Boord Park at the weekend.

The tournament has been running since 1966 and attracted six teams from across the North Island this year.

The Bay of Plenty Indians won the competition for the first time on Sunday defeating Wellington B in the final by 134 runs.

Team captain Prashant Dhanjee said they dedicated the win to two of their foundation members, Harry Unka and Kishor Morarji. "We have had them in our minds the last couple of years since they passed away so it was dedicated to those guys.

"They were a big part of the club and the foundation of the club," he said. "So to win meant more than just beating the six teams there, it meant a lot for our club."

Another foundation member, Diyal Dheda, was also part of the victory, encouraging the team from the sideline.

The Indians defeated Wellington B and Auckland A on Saturday to qualify for the final, a rematch against Wellington B.

Batting first, the Rotorua side reached 204/7 in 25 overs.

With dark clouds threatening over Ray Boord Park, the Indians decided to declare five overs early to avoid the rain and get a result in the 30-over match.

The decision was a good one.

The Bay of Plenty bowlers were ruthless, bowling Wellington B all out for 70 runs in 29 overs.

Dhanjee put the win down to a great start by their opening batsmen Umesh Morarji and Lilesh Solanki, which set them up well for the rest of the match.

Bay of Plenty Indians committee member Mehul Chhagan said it was probably the club's biggest cricket title. "We did it for the past members and the guys who have stuck with us from the start."

He said it had been about five years since they last hosted the event in Rotorua, so it was good to pull off a successful event. He thanked their sponsors and BoP Cricket for supporting the event.