Three straight for talented R&A Sangha lineup in trophy season

R&A Sangha have become the first team to win the McNaughton Trophy for three seasons in a row, beating Hawks in the Bay of Plenty Cricket Reserve Grade Final, at the Bay Oval on March 31.

The BOPCA McNaughton Trophy is fought out each season between Bay of Plenty Reserve and B Grade teams, and is widely regarded as the Bay of Plenty Reserve Grade championship. Today, the McNaughton Trophy competition is managed by Western Bay of Plenty Cricket on behalf of Bay of Plenty Cricket.

Hawks won the toss and went in to bat on a beautiful autumn late afternoon where, just two days prior, the Black Caps had cantered to an easy win over the Netherlands, on an adjoining wicket block.

The team dressed in vivid yellow made a solid start to proceedings, losing their first wicket with 41 runs on the big Bay Oval electronic scoreboard. Two wickets at the 49 run mark slowed proceedings, before Ajay Kumar took charge. His 67 runs at slightly better than a run a ball put Hawks back on the front foot.

The dismissal of Kumar saw Navpreet Singh pick up the attack, before he was run out with 59 runs alongside his name. Hawks got through to 219 for the loss of eight wickets to set the Sangha XI a solid target.

The Sangha reply faltered after just seven balls with the first wicket falling for six. GS Mahal continued on to set his team a good platform reaching 34 before being caught in the field. Yogesh Kumar and Deepak Singh, batting at four and five respectively, took control, putting together a 70-run partnership before Kumar was dismissed for 61.

Singh continued the onslaught on the Hawks’ bowling attack to top score with 64 runs.

The R&A Sangha victory came with three overs and five wickets to spare.

Sangha CC wrote their own piece of history, with three successive McNaughton Trophies, albeit sharing the title with Mount Maunganui in 2020, when the Covid epidemic resulted in the McNaughton title decider not being contested.

Five McNaughton prizes in seven seasons are testament to the focus that the Sangha XI put on winning the symbol of Baywide Reserve Grade competition.

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at Bay Oval, March 31: Hawks 219/8 (Ajay Kumar 67, Navpreet Singh 50) lost to R&A

BOPCA McNaughton Trophy Final

Sangha 220/5 (Deepak Singh 64, Yogesh Kumar 61, GS Mahal 34)

Bay of Plenty Cricket McNaughton Trophy Champions:

2022 R&A Sangha 2021 R&A Sangha, 2020 R&A Sangha/Mount Maunganui — shared because of Covid 19, 2019 Papamoa, 2018 Mount Maunganui, 2017 R&A Sangha Raavi XI, 2016 R&A Sangha Raavi XI, 2015 Katikati, 2014 Mount Maunganui, 2013 Katikati, 2012 Mount Maunganui, 2011 Mount Maunganui, 2010 Katikati, 2009 Cadets, 2008 Central, 2007 Mount Maunganui, 2006 Mount Maunganui, 2005 Cadets, 2004 Cadets, 2003 not played, 2002 Mount Maunganui, 2001 Mount Maunganui.