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Exciting Changes Highlight the 2020/21 Baywide Premier Cricket Season

Exciting changes to the 2020/21 Baywide Premier cricket competitions, should up the ante to produce even more action packed cricket, with the regions top-level club batsmen going into head to head combat with opposition bowlers in weekly battles.

The big news in the new season, is the promotion of the Papamoa Cricket Club in to Baywide cricket for the first time. The Papamoa CC, put in place a comprehensive cricket development plan during their formation in 2018, which has seen the club progress to Baywide premier cricket in just three seasons.

Bay of Plenty Cricket Development Manager Scott Steward said “While Papamoa Cricket Club hasn’t been around for long, they have already done some great things for cricket in their community. This is evident in their strong junior programme and the recent results of the senior teams”.

“Papamoa submitted a very strong application for entry into the Premier Men’s Competition and I am confident that they will be competitive and add value to the competition. I wish them all the best for the upcoming season.”

A delayed (three week) start to the 2020/21 Bay of Plenty Cricket season, has been necessitated by a narrowed gap between winter and summer sport, as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic.

“With a shortened season this year and an extra team in the competition, we have had to adapt and be creative with the draw, to ensure that we can still offer all three Baywide Premier Competitions” said Scott Steward.

“Midweek T20 cricket was well received last year, so the T20 competition will now run mid-week pool games and will culminate in a Friday night final under lights at The Bay Oval, which is exciting. The clubs have been very supportive of the changes to the competition formats”.

The Bay of Plenty Cup leads off the premier club competitions, with a Labour weekend (24th October 2020) kick-off. The first of the Baywide titles to be decided is a straight shoot-out to the line, with the competition points leader on the 19th December 2020, taking out the 2020 Bay of Plenty Cup. The second placed team will receive the Bay of Plenty Plate.

There have been innovative changes made to accommodate the Baywide T20, in a congested Bay of Plenty Cricket calendar. Three pools of three teams, will play mid-week twilight matches either side of the Christmas holiday season break. 

Baywide T20 semi-final action will take place on Sunday 31st January 2020, before the top two contenders square of under lights at the Bay Oval on Friday 5th February 2021, in the Baywide T20 title decider

The Baywide premier cricket year will finish off with the Versatile Tauranga Williams Cup, which is considered the big prize in Baywide Premier cricket. The Williams Cup has been contested under several different formats, since the City Cricket Club was the first name engraved on the trophy in the 1932-33 season.

The Versatile Williams Cup opening round, will open the second half of the season on the 9th January 2021, with the (season) curtain coming down with the Versatile Tauranga Williams Cup Final on 27th March 2021.

Bay of Plenty Cricket Baywide Premier Cricket Calendar 2020/21

2020 Bay of Plenty Cup: Start 24th October – Final Day 19th December 2020.

2020/21 Baywide T20: Start 3rd December – Finals Day Friday 5th February 2021

2021 Versatile Tauranga Williams Cup: Start 9th January 2021 – Finals Day 27th March 2021

BOPCA Baywide Premier Teams 2020/21

Element IMF Cadets, Bayleys Central Indians, Eves Realty Greerton, Generation Homes Lake Taupo, Bond & Co Mount Maunganui, Geyser City Sports, Papamoa CC. Holland Beckett Law Tauranga Boys College, Flying Mullet Te Puke.