TWO CENTURIES AND A SEVEN WICKET HAUL OPEN THE 2021 VERSATILE TAURANGA WILLIAMS CUP TITLE RACE

Posted: Monday, 11 January 2021

The Versatile Tauranga Williams Cup kicked in spectacular fashion on Saturday (9 January 2021), under perfect Bay of Plenty weather conditions, with two centuries and a seven wicket bag.

Element IMF Cadets batsman Tim Pringle hammered the second (equal) highest Williams Cup score of the last decade, when he blasted 174 runs off 137 balls, against Craigs Investment Partners Geyser at the Tauranga Domain. Batting at three, Pringle anchored the Cadets innings, belting seventeen 4's and six 6's as his team posted 299 all out.

Only Greerton's Cameron Neal, has bettered Pringles Williams Cup total in the last ten years with 194 in January 2014, with Tai Bridgman-Raison also posting 174 runs four seasons ago.

A half century from Geyser skipper Cody Fell gave his side some optimism, before they were bowled out for 186, to give the hosts a 113 run win. Spencer Wills and James McCabe grabbed three wickets apiece for the home side.

Owen Delany Park in Taupo, hosted the one-way battle between Eves Realty Greerton and Generation Homes Lake Taupo. Greerton opener Taylor Bettelheim was in superlative touch belting 111, which included fourteen 4's, as the Western Bay visitors posted 239 for the loss of nine wickets. Lake Taupo bowler Joe O'Donoghue finished his spell with four wickets at a cost of 71 runs.

Dan Spencer celebrated his 100th game in the Greerton premier uniform in style, slaying the Lake Taupo batsmen, with seven wickets for just 10 runs. Spencer's remarkable haul sits only behind Black Cap Trent Boult's 8/37 eight years ago, in the last decade. Lake Taupo were rolled for 57, in the 23rd over, with their highest score of 16 telling of their tale of woe.

ND player Bharat Popli, led Bayleys Central Indians to a four wicket victory over Flying Mullet Te Puke, when he crafted an unbeaten 82 at Smallbone Park. Te Puke set the home side a target of 196 with skipper Stephen Crossan top scoring with 55 runs. Sam Lund did plenty of damage with the ball with four wickets.

Popli, who owns the Bay of Plenty senior representative centuries with eleven tons, put on a near flawless batting display as the Rotorua combined side got home in the 46th over. The shining light in the Te Puke bowling attack was Josh Earle who took four wickets for 32 runs.

Last season’s Baywide Champion of Champions Bond & Co Mount Maunganui cruised to victory against Holland Beckett Law Tauranga Boys College. Tauranga Boys were bowled out for 102, with Mount stalwarts Chris Atkinson and Peter Drysdale troubling the Tauranga Boys batsmen with three wickets each.

The removal of Ben Pomare for 33, brought Ben Musgrave (29no) and Peter Drysdale (27) together, who combined to take Mount Maunganui through to a nine wicket win.

Versatile Tauranga Williams Cup - 9 January 2021 Results

Element IMF Cadets 299 (Tim Pringle 174, Chris Mascall 38; Cohen Stewart 3/57, Joshua Simpson 3/59) defeated Craigs Investment Partners Geyser 186 (Cody Fell 53, Daniel Fisher 31; Spencer Wills 3/27, James McCabe 3/36)

Eves Realty Greerton 239/9 (Taylor Bettelheim 111, Jared Tutty 26no; Joe O'Donoghue 4/71) defeated Generation Homes Lake Taupo 57 (Daniel Spencer 7/10)

Flying Mullet Te Puke 195/9 (Stephen Crossan 55, Josh Earle 33, Hamish Wilde 30no; Sam Lund 3/44) lost to Bayleys Central Indians 196/6 (Bharat Popli 82no; Josh Earle 4/32)

Holland Beckett Law Tauranga Boys College 102 (Charles Williams 26; Chris Atkinson 3/15, Peter Drysdale 3/26) lost to Bond & Co Mount Maunganui 103/1 (Ben Pomare 33, Ben Musgrave 29no, Peter Drysdale 27no)

Papamoa the bye

Points Table (Provisional) Cadets 6, Greerton 6, Central Indians 6, Mount Maunganui 6, Geyser 0, Lake Taupo 0, Te Puke 0, Tauranga Boys College 0.

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