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Williams Cup Preview 28th January

Top Of The Table Clash A The Tauranga Domain Headlines The Williams Cup

A top of the table clash in the Williams Cup on Saturday (28 January 2017), will see just one team finish play with their Baywide championship unbeaten record still intact.

Element IMF Cadets will host Carrus Mount Maunganui at the Tauranga Domain in an encounter where the Baker Cup (WBOPCA Challenge Trophy) will also be on the line.

Both teams will need to go to their Reserve Grade ranks, as both Cadets and the Mount lose four players apiece, to the Bay of Plenty representative team defence of the Hawke Cup at the Bay Oval.

Two long serving Cadets all-rounder’s who have both played for the Bay of Plenty representative side, could be the key to victory for the home team. Cadets captain Scott Steward and Ben Christensen are both big hitters of the ball and are equally adept with the ball in hand.

Mount Maunganui also have a club stalwart, in Nick Smith, who can take aim on the boundary ropes and come into the bowling attack with his spinners with great success. Smith owns the rare distinction of having a premier century and a six wicket bag engraved on the Mount honours board.

Eve's Realty Greerton will be chasing three successive Williams Cup victories this season, when they square off with New World Te Puke at Pemberton Park. Last weekend Greerton chased down a massive target of 342, set by Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College, to win with the last ball of the game.

Defending Williams Cup champions Te Puke sit at the bottom of the Baywide competition standings. However the Te Puke first eleven, have two match winners with bat in their weekend line-up, who could make life difficult for the Greerton bowling attack. Tai Bridgman and Stephen Crossan both like to smack the ball over the boundary ropes with alacrity.

Tauranga Boys College position in the cellar of the Williams Cup point’s ladder doesn't reflect their performances in the opening three rounds of the Williams Cup. Two competitive performances against Mount Maunganui and Cadets was followed by last weekends heart breaking loss to Greerton.

This Saturday, Tauranga Boys square off with Bayleys Central Indians on the TBC first XI temporary home ground at Blake Park. The Rotorua side opened their current Williams Cup campaign with a win over Te Puke. Since the holiday season break in play, several promising youngsters have joined the team to give the side plenty of batting and bowling options. 

BOPCA Williams Cup Draw 28 January 2017
Carrus Mount Maunganui v Bayleys Central Indians, Blake1; Element IMF Cadets v New World Te Puke, Tauranga Domain; Eves Realty Greerton v Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College, Pemberton Park.

Williams Cup Points Table: Carrus Mount Maunganui 21, Element IMF Cadets 21, Eves Realty Greerton 15, Bayleys Central Indians 6, Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College 3, New World Te Puke 3.