T20 rounds to open season
The Baywide Premier cricket season is under way at Rotorua’s Boord park today with two rounds of T20 action.
Defending champions Mount Maunganui play Tauranga Boys’ College at midday, followed by a match against Te Puke at 3pm.
Mount Maunganui beat Cadets in last season’s final by 42 runs with Bay of Plenty captain Peter Drysdale scoring 92 in his team’s total of 176/6. It was the Mount’s first T20 title. Since the competition was introduced in the 2011/2012 season, Tauranga Boys’ College and Rotorua Central have each won it twice while Cadets were triumphant in 2015/16.
After a break of one season, the competition was re-introduced last year leading to the Mount’s win.
In other early afternoon games at Boord Park today Central Indians play Cadets with Te Puke facing Greerton.
Lake Taupo CC make their season entrance in the 3pm second round after sitting out the bye in round one, where they will square off with Tauranga Boys’ College.
The Taupo team found out about the realities of Baywide premier club cricket in their inaugural season 12 months ago.
But with some quality new recruits and a season of Baywide battles in their scorebook, the team from the middle of the North Island are expected to be competitive this season.
Greerton and Cadets will both want to lay down the challenge to the other sides when they meet in round two, with Te Puke and Mount Maunganui rounding out opening day.
- Supplied content Boord Park, Rotorua today Round One: midday Bayleys Central Indians v Element IMF Cadets, Bond & Co Tauranga Boys College v Carrus Mount Maunganui, Eves Realty Greerton v New World Te Puke, bye - GM Painters Lake Taupo CC. Round Two: 3pm Bond & Co Tauranga Boys College v GM Painters Lake Taupo CC, Eves Realty Greerton v Element IMF Cadets, New World Te Puke v Carrus Mount Maunganui, Bayleys Central Indians the bye. BOPCA Twenty 20 Championship 2011/12 (Tauranga Boys’ College) 2012/13 (Tauranga Boys’ College) 2013/14 (Rotorua Central) 2014/15 (Rotorua Central) 2015/16 (Otumoetai Cadets) 2016/17 not played 2017/18 (Mount Maunganui)