MOUNT MAUNGANUI LAY DOWN THE GAUNTLET TO THE OTHER BAY OF PLENTY CUP CONTENDERS

Posted: Sunday, 25 October 2020

Defending Bay of Plenty Cup champions Bond & Co Mount Maunganui laid down the gauntlet to the other contenders, in the opening round on Saturday (24 October 2020), when they comprehensively defeated Holland Beckett Law Tauranga Boys College.

Batting first on their home track at Blake Park, the hosts posted a very solid 225 for the loss of six wickets. Matt Golding who was captaining the Mount premiers for the first time, led from the front with a unbeaten 44 runs, with New Zealand Under 19 player Ben Pomare reaching 40 before being dismissed. Tauranga Boys bowler Riley Brady took two wickets for 24 runs.

Bay of Plenty quick Chris Atkinson, grabbed the first five wicket bag of the new Baywide season, taking five bowling scalps at a cost of just 10 runs. Tauranga Boys skipper Niven Dovey put up some dogged resistance for a time, with 30 runs, before his side was removed for 74 to hand the home side a big 151 run win.

Bayleys Central Indians, flew the flag victory for the two Rotorua teams in the competition, when they beat Baywide new entrants Papamoa by seven wickets. Papamoa batted first and were bowled out for 135, with former Black Cap Matt Horne top scoring with 25 runs. Aaron Bennett took three wickets for just 4 runs for the visitors.

Bharat Popli, who has returned to the Central Indians fold as player/coach led the way with a 59 runs, while skipper Steve Nicholls chipped in with a solid 34.

Eve's Realty Greerton, had a good tussle with Generation Homes Lake Taupo, before prevailing at home base at Pemberton Park. The Great Lake visitors batted first and were dismissed for 166. Batting at three, Michael Mitchell top scored with a gritty 60. Taylor Bettelheim showed that he is developing into a genuine all-rounder, grabbing four wickets at a cost of twenty runs, with long-time Greerton captain Shane Wineti taking three wickets.

A fighting knock of 57 from Taylor Bettelheim anchored the Greerton five wicket victory, while Tom MacRury smote a couple of big shots over the boundary in his 26 runs.

Craigs Investment Partners Geyser, put up a defiant performance against Element IMF Cadets at Smallbone Park before tasting defeat. Batting first, the Rotorua team reached 217 for the loss of seven wickets. Cody Fell who had his side’s Baywide captaincy role for first time, led his troops from the front with 73 runs, while James McCabe grabbed three wickets for the Western Bay of Plenty visitors.

Cadets were made to fight hard for the win points on offer, in losing seven wickets on the way to victory. Last season’s New Zealand Under 19 batsman Fergus Lellman was in magnificent touch, as he worked his way to the weekend’s top score of 93 runs. Cadets new skipper Andrew Mascall also worked hard to finish with a half-century to his name.

BOPCA Bay of Plenty Cup 24 October 2020 – Round One Results

Papamoa 135 (Matt Horne 25; Aaron Bennett 3/ 4) lost to Bayleys Central Indians 136/3 (Bharat Popli 59, Steve Nicholls 34)

Craigs Investment Partners Geyser 218/7 (Cody Fell 73 Liam Kelly 37; James McCabe 3/27) lost to Element IMF Cadets 222/7 (Fergus Lellman 93, Andrew Mascall 56; Sathish Krishnamoothy 2/25)

Bond & Co Mount Maunganui 225/6 (Matt Golding 44no, Ben Pomare 40; Riley Brady 2/24) defeated Holland Beckett Law Tauranga Boys College 74 (Niven Dovey 30; Chris Atkinson 5/10)

Generation Homes Lake Taupo 166 (Michael Mitchell 60, Caleb Bate 31; Taylor Bettelheim 4/20, Shane Wineti 3/34) lost to Eves Realty Greerton 167/5 (T Bettelheim 57, Tom MacRury 26; Moko Rivers 2/44)

Flying Mullett Te Puke the bye

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

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