New World Te Puke Chase Back To Back Williams Cup

Posted: Thursday, 5 January 2017

Williams Cup

When the winner of the BOPCA Williams Cup, lifts aloft the Baywide trophy in victory on the 25th March 2017, another chapter will be completed in the long history of the biggest prize in Bay of Plenty Cricket.

Rotorua City Cricket Club, became the first name engraved on the trophy in the 1932/33 season, with the Bay of Plenty premier trophy having been contested every year since the early thirties except during WW2. Te Puke leads the all-time Williams Cup title list, winning the big Bay of Plenty Cricket prize on 16 occasions, while Otumoetai Cadets have annexed the Baywide big prize nine times since the 1994/95 season.

New World Te Puke, will enter the first round of the current Williams Cup competition as the defending champions, after defeating Carrus Mount Maunganui in a rain affected title decider at the Bay Oval in March 2016. Te Puke Captain Stephen Crossan said “ Last summer’s Williams Cup win was the first taste of success for our young side who are hungry for more in 2017”. “When you look at the quality of the teams who have taken part in the Williams Cup over the years, it is pretty special to be involved in a club with such a fine history”.

“Te Puke has a good balance of youth and experience across the board and experience in key areas will give our young talent the opportunity to flourish”. “This summer’s Williams Cup is going to be a tight contest with all six teams having the depth to win the title”. “Playing with the white ball in the Williams Cup always produces plenty of runs and once a batsman gets set, dismissing them can be pretty tough”.

Te Puke has drawn Bayleys Central Indians in the first round with the game to be played at Te Puke headquarters at the Te Puke Domain.

Current Baywide Cup champions Mount Maunganui, should have a tough test first up, when they meet Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College at a neutral venue on Fergusson Park number one. The Mount side took out the first Baywide trophy of the current season, with Tauranga Boys finishing a solid third on the standings behind Mount Maunganui and Element IMF Cadets.

Eves Realty Greerton will put the Baker Cup (WBOPCA Challenge Trophy) on the line when they square off with Cadets at the Tauranga Domain. While Cadets won the first Baywide Cup clash and took a winning draw from the second encounter, Greerton at full strength, can provide plenty of headaches for all the other contenders in the Williams Cup title race.

BOPCA Williams Cup Draw 7 January 2017
New World Te Puke v Bayleys Central Indians, Te Puke Domain; Carrus Mount Maunganui v Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College, Fergusson1; Element IMF Cadets v Eves Realty Greerton, Tauranga Domain.

Williams Cup Champions (2000 – 2015)
2016 Te Puke 2015 (Mount Maunganui) 2014 (Te Puke) 2013 (Mount Maunganui) 2012 (Greerton) 2011 (Mount Maunganui) 2010 (Cadets) 2009 (Tauranga Boys College) 2008 (Mount Maunganui) 2007 (Rotorua Central) 2006 (Cadets) 2005 (Cadets) 2004 (Te Puke) 2003 (Cadets) 2002 (Albion) 2001 (Te Puke) 2000 (AC United)

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