BAYWIDE CRICKET KICKS OFF THIS SATURDAY

Posted: Wednesday, 1 October 2014

The Bay of Plenty Cricket Baywide season kicks off this Saturday (4 October 2014) with the first round of the Baywide Cup competition.

Last season’s Baywide Cricket competitions, were arguably the most competitive for a number of seasons with multiple contenders throughout the three title races, which resulted in three different championship winners.

The season opening Baywide Cup, which was originally a first past the post competition, saw a final introduced last year, with the two top finishers from the round robin play squaring off to decide the Baywide silverware.

Mount Maunganui cruised to victory after dismissing Otumoetai Cadets for 160, with Dale Swan grabbing four wickets for 15 runs. Tim Clarke (76no) and skipper Pater Drysdale (73no) led their team to a ten wicket victory. Greerton defeated Te Puke in the battle for third place.

Rotorua Central, claimed their first Baywide prize since winning the Williams Cup in 2007, when they beat Mount Maunganui in the T20 Championship final. Central captain Jason Trembath led from the front to smash 62 as the Rotorua side reached 138/5. A Mount wicket in the first over gave early momentum to Central, who then went on to restrict Mount Maunganui to 120/8, to claim the second Baywide prize of the season.

The Williams Cup also had a change of format, with a preliminary final introduced for the first time. Greerton came from the fourth qualifying position to defeat Mount Maunganui in the minor semi-final, while Te Puke cruised straight to the championship final when they beat Cadets in the major semi-final.

Greerton, continued their late season charge from mid-table to get past Cadets in the preliminary final, for the right to meet Te Puke for the Williams Cup silverware, in the last game of the season.

Te Puke set up their first Williams Cup title in a decade when they posted a 244 all out. New recruit Blair Parlane top scored with 48, with Dan Spencer taking four wickets for Greerton. Bay of Plenty representative bowler Jeremy Bates was in red hot form taking 5/26, as Greerton were bundled out for just 109 to hand Te Puke an easy victory.

BAY OF PLENTY CRICKET BAYWIDE PROFILES 2014/15

Mount Maunganui
Home Ground: Blake Park
Last Season Finishes: Champion of Champions (winner) - Baywide Cup (winner) T20 (runner-up) Williams Cup (fourth)
Player Gains: Dean Brownlie (Canterbury) Ben Musgrave (TBC)
Player Losses: Nil
Captain: Peter Drysdale
2013/14 Notable milestones: Nick Smith (114no) Tim Clarke (111) Peter Drysdale (107) Ben Guild (106no) Dale Swan (6/11) Tony Goodin (6/42)

The benchmark in Baywide cricket in the last two seasons has been Mount Maunganui - who have won back to back Hart Family Trophies, awarded to the Baywide Champions of Champions over the three Baywide competitions.

There are two notable additions to the Mount Maunganui line-up for the 2014/15 season. Black Cap Dean Brownlie has come north from Canterbury and should be seen in action in early season games for the Mount, before joining the Northern Knights for the New Zealand Domestic season.

Ben Musgrave, is another graduate from the long list of Tauranga Boys College players who have made their mark in Bay of Plenty and ND ranks. Musgrave, who scored a century for the Bay Development side on debut while still at Tauranga Boys, is a top order batsman with huge potential. In late August he blasted unbeaten 140 off 113 balls, for a Bay Invitation XI against the White Ferns in out of season hit-out.

Greerton
Home Ground: Pemberton Park
Last Season Finishes: Champion of Champions (second) – Baywide Cup (third) T20 (third) Williams Cup (runner-up)
Player Gains: Charles Williams (Te Puke)
Player Losses: Nil
Captain: Shane Wineti
2013/14 Notable milestones: Cameron Neal (196) Tom MacRury (169) Tom MacRury (110) Mike English (109no) Brett Hampton (107no) Cameron Neal (104no) Brett Hampton (100no)

One of the most consistent team in last season’s three Baywide competitions were Greerton, who were runner-up in the Williams Cup and third in the two other competitions. However they failed to win any Baywide Silverware, which should provide all the motivation the Pemberton Park unit needs this season.

The only addition to a full playing roster is Charles Williams who is returning to his former club from Te Puke, to also assist with coaching duties.

Te Puke
Home Ground: Te Puke Domain
Last Season Finishes: Champion of Champions (third) – Baywide Cup (fourth) T20 (fourth) Williams Cup (winner)
Player Gains: Keaton Taylor (TBC) Brody Gilroy (Katikati) Jamie Davies (OTC)
Player Losses: Richard Turner, Charles Williams, Jeremy Bates
Captain: Mitch McCann Vice/Captain: Steven Crossan
Coach: Peter Swan
2013/14 Notable milestones: Tai Bridgman-Raison (119no) Tai Bridgman-Raison (108) Mitch McCann (101) Ben Williams (6/48)

The rebuilding of the Te Puke premier cricket team by Coach Peter Swan, reached its zenith last season, when they won the time-honoured Williams Cup in March. Te Puke advanced their Williams Cup successes, since the first in the 1938/39 season, to fourteen be the most successful club in Williams Cup history.

While they have lost several club stalwarts from recent seasons, they have gained a couple of extremely promising youngsters. Keaton Taylor and Brody Gilroy were both were selected for the Bay of Plenty Development team, while still at secondary school last season. Brody Gilroy is a bowler who is also adept with the bat, while Keaton Taylor took the remarkable bowling figures of 5 wickets at a cost of six runs, for the Coastland Senior Secondary team on their way to retaining the ND championship title last year.

Otumoetai Cadets
Home Ground: Tauranga Domain
Last Season Finishes: Champions of Champions (fourth) – Baywide Cup (runner-up) T20 (fifth equal) Williams Cup (third)
Player Gains: Donovan Deeble (returning from Auckland) Ben Williams Cricket Academy players.
Player Losses: Nil
Captain:
2013/14 Notable milestones: Ben Christensen (114) Nick Earl (103) James Birchall (6/53)

Otumoetai Cadets started the season in fine style in reaching the final of the Baywide Cup, before being beaten by archrivals Mount Maunganui. The departure of Jono Boult and Joe Carter to the Northern Knights and an injury to skipper Ben Christensen, weakened the available player base in the second half of the season.

However the resolve that has taken Cadets to nine Williams Cups in the last two decades, will ensure that they will be genuine contenders in all three competitions this season. Ben Christensen, who was on the cusp of returning the Bay of Plenty team before injury, will again captain the Cadets first eleven.

Rotorua Central
Home Ground: Smallbone Park/Boord Park
Last Season Finishes: Champion of Champions (fifth) – Baywide Cup (fifth) T20 (winner) Williams Cup (fifth)
Player Gains: Shannon McSkimming (Lakeland Senior Secondary) Ryan Pedley (returning from UK) Tahir Afridi (player/coach from UK) Mark Chapman – Tom Yarrall, Alastair Blackett (St Pauls) available in school holidays.
Player Losses:
Captain: Jason Trembath
2013/14 Notable milestones: Ryan Pedley (101no)

The 2013/14 cricket year was a breakthrough season for Rotorua Central. They won their first Baywide trophy since annexing out the Williams Cup in 2007, when they defeated Mount Maunganui in the title decider.

The Rotorua representatives, have gained one of the most promising age group players in the Bay, in Shannon McSkimming The young spin bowler showcased his talent when he was selected for the recent Bay of Plenty Invitation XI against the White Ferns at the Bay Oval. Other additions include Ryan Pedley who is returning from the UK and Tahir Afridi from the UK who will be player/coach. During the summer school break Tom Yarrall and Alastair Blackett will join the side from St Pauls College.

Tauranga Boys College
Home Ground: Nicholson Field
Last Season Finishes: Champion of Champions (sixth) – Baywide Cup (sixth) T20 (fifth equal) Williams Cup (sixth)
Player Gains: Tom Renouf, Jonty Grigson, Sean Wakelin, Gurwinder Singh, Harrison Perry (TBC Cricket pathway)
Player Losses: Ben Musgrave, Keaton Taylor, Harry Semple, Josh Oakley, Mandeep Kumar (School leavers)
Captain/Coach: Mark Orchard
2013/14 Notable milestones: Mark Orchard 146no) Mark Orchard (108no) Ben Musgrave (105)

The greatest heritage of the Tauranga Boys College first eleven each year is the pathway to professional and club cricket. A shining example has been provided in the last couple of seasons, with the vast majority of the Bay of Plenty men’s team that won and held the Hawke Cup, having graduated from the Tauranga Boys College cricket pathway.

Tauranga Boys teacher Mark Orchard, who captains and coaches the school’s first XI, opened the season with a bang when he blasted an unbeaten 146 on the opening day of last season. He followed it up during the Baywide competitions with another three figure score with Ben Musgrave also blasting a century.

Whakatane United
Home Ground: Rex Morepeth Park
Last Season Finishes: Champion of Champions (seventh) Baywide Cup (eighth) T20 (seventh) Williams Cup (seventh)
Player Gains: Brett Sharma, Tom Casey (BOP Lakeland Senior Secondary Rep)
Captain: Alex Yates
2013/14 Notable milestones: Alex Yates (114)

A notable addition to Whakatane United, is leggie Brett Sharma who mesmerised the opposing batsmen when he played for the club a couple of seasons ago. Tom Casey has stepped up from the Lakeland Senior Secondary team and will be a welcome addition.

The side will again be captained by long-time Eastern Bay batsman Alex Yates who is always difficult to dislodge at the crease. The dashing batsman highlighted his achievements last season with his team’s top individual score of 114.

Bay of Plenty Indians
Home Ground: Smallbone Park/Boord Park
Last Season Finishes: Champion of Champions (eighth) – Baywide Cup (seventh) T20 (eighth) Williams Cup (eighth)
Player Gains: Yohann Arani
Player Losses: Prashant Dhanjee, Praful Moranji, Vinay Chhagan
Captain: Sanjay Unka

Enjoyment of the game, is one of the primary agendas of the Bay of Plenty Indian first team, who utilise both Boord and Smallbone Parks in Rotorua as their home grounds. Consolidation is top of the teams list this year and they have been in serious training mode since the start of August.

The team has picked up Yohann Irani, who showcased his talent for a Bay of Plenty Invitation XI against the White Ferns in out of season game in late August. The Bay side gave the White Ferns, who were preparing for their trip to the West Indies, a real workout posting 259/3. The Bay of Plenty age group batsman helped his side getting away to a flyer being part of an opening stand of 51 runs.

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