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Cricket Continues at the Bay Oval During March

Posted: Thursday, 7 March 2019

Three Days of Action

While the razz-a-mataz of international cricket between the Black Caps and India and Sri Lanka in January 2019, are fading into our memory bank – there is still plenty of cricket action to come at the Bay Oval in the next three weeks.

In what is probably a first for cricket in the country, the McNaughton Trophy Club Final will be played as a day/nighter under lights at the Bay Oval on Thursday 21st March 2019. The McNaughton prize is contested by Baywide Reserve Grade teams, with the winner crowned the Bay of Plenty Cricket Reserve Grade Champion.

It is likely that the few second tier cricket players in the country, get to play on hallowed turf such as the Bay Oval, with the Bay players in the McNaughton title-decider having the added bonus of playing under the powerful Blake Park floodlights.

The origins of the Baywide Reserve Grade prize, come from the donation by the McNaughton Family in Te Puke, of a trophy for competition between second tier teams from the Tauranga and Te Puke sub-associations. A number of years ago the competition was expanded to include all Reserve and B Grade sides in Bay of Plenty Cricket.

Papamoa Cricket Club and the Greerton Sikh XI, who are both recent additions to Western Bay Cricket, will square off in the 2019 McNaughton Final. The Sikh side affiliated to the Greerton Cricket Club at the start of the 2017/18 season. The Papamoa Cricket Club was established as recently as the August 2018, with the McNaughton team drawn for the clubs three B Grade sides.

The kind support and approval from the Bay Oval Trust Management, will see the first ball of the McNaughton Final, bowled at 4pm on Thursday 21st March 2019, at the Mount Maunganui ground.

This Sunday (10 March 2019) heralds an extremely important match-up for the Bay of Plenty Development representatives, who play their last match of the ND Development Championship, at the Bay Oval.

The Bay Development boys take three win and one heartbreaking four-run loss into their last Basil McBurney Trophy match of the season. Success on Sunday would see the Bay of Plenty second eleven, take out the ND Development Championship for the second time in three seasons.

Coach Russell Williams has mentored a very youthful outfit, which includes several secondary school students, into a winning combination who have excelled with both bat and ball.

The Bay Oval will close off a long and successful season of cricket, with a match that has the oldest trophy contested in Bay of Plenty Cricket, at stake. The Williams Cup dates back to the start of the (then) Bay of Plenty Cricket Association in the 1930’s and is considered the pinnacle prize in Baywide cricket.

On Saturday 30th March 2019, the 2019 edition of the Williams Cup will be decided on the Blake Park ground, with celebrations for the winner traditionally going on late into the night.

Bay Oval Games – March 2018

10th March       ND Development – Bay of Plenty v Counties Manukau – 10.30am start

21st March       BOPCA McNaughton Trophy (Baywide Reserve Grade) Final – 4pm start

30th March       BOPCA Williams Cup Final – 11am start

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