Williams Cup Preview 3rd February

Posted: Thursday, 1 February 2018

Element IMF Cadets To Get Their Williams Cup Campaign Back On Track

Defending BOPCA Williams Cup title holders Element IMF Cadets will want to get their Baywide 2018 championship campaign back on track, after losing to Eves Realty Greerton in the opening round last weekend.
On Saturday (3 February 2018), Cadets travel to the Sulphur City to square off with Bayleys Central Indians at Smallbone Park. The emergence of a new top order batsman, against Greerton, gives the Tauranga Domain based premier side additional firepower in their already strong batting line-up. Former Christchurch player Joshua Bates, in just his second appearance in Bay of Plenty Cricket, blasted 103 runs that included ten 4's and six 6's.

Cadets could face a stern test at the home of Rotorua Cricket, with Central Indians having won four of five encounters, since the second half of the season resumed three weeks ago. Three Twenty 20 wins, was followed by the Rotorua representatives chasing down 180, to defeat Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College in the first round of the Williams Cup,

Carrus Mount Maunganui who have won the Williams Cup on four occasions in the last decade, made a winning start to chasing further success in the Bay of Plenty Cricket competition, that dates back to the 1930's. A Round Two meeting, with Tauranga Boys College at Mount Headquarters at Blake Park, could produce a tight contest that goes late in the afternoon.

The game could feature a batting duel between two of the inform Baywide batsmen. Brenton Thompson, who made his Bay of Plenty representative debut last season, came out swinging last weekend when he belted 91 runs against New World Te Puke. Tauranga Boys College opener Marcel Collett, never gives his wicket away without a fight and was in solid form at the recent Super Eight competition in Napier.

GM Painters Lake Taupo CC, who earned promotion to Baywide cricket last season, have learned about life in the fast lane of the premier game. While wins on the board have been few, they have learnt plenty about the intensity of top echelon of Bay club cricket, which will serve them well in future seasons.

This Saturday, Greerton pay a visit to the Kaimanawa Reserve to square off with the Great Lake region representatives. One Greerton player that could prove a real thorn in the home teams side, is leggie James Boyd. Last Saturday the leg-spinner weaved magic with the ball taking five wickets at a cost of 46 runs.

Bay of Plenty Baywide Cricket Draw 3 February 2018
Williams Cup
Bayleys Central Indians v Element IMF Cadets, Smallbone Park; GM Painters Lake Taupo CC v Eves Realty Greerton, Kaimanawa Reserve; Carrus Mount Maunganui v Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College. Blake2; New World Te Puke the bye.
Points Table: Mount Maunganui 6, Greerton 6, Central Indians 6, Te Puke 0, Cadets 0, Tauranga Boys College 0.
BOPCA Williams Cup Honours Board 2018
Batting (Centuries) 103 – Joshua Bates (Element IMF Cadets) v Greerton
Bowling (Five wickets) 5/46 - James Boyd (Eves Realty Greerton) v Cadets

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