On-fire Firebirds take title
Enjoy five-wicket win over BOP Indians, Hurricanes lose in play-off for third place
History was created for the Eastern Bay of Plenty Cricket Club over the weekend. The Ebop Firebirds took out the Lakelands T20 Championship, the first senior title for the Whakatanebased club in its fourth year since its establishment.
The team comfortably beat defending champions Bay of Plenty Indians Cricket Club at Rotorua’s Boord Park, chasing down the target with five wickets in hand on the back of a half-century by former Bay of Plenty representative Alex Yates with help from Pavi Nanayakkara and Trident High School’s Jake Finlay, who took three wickets each.
The BOP Indians were bowled out for 93 in the 18th over, the Firebirds chasing the score down with two overs to spare.
The club’s other senior team the Hurricanes, comprised of mostly O¯ potiki residents, lost their play-off for third place.
The team led by Ricky Barring could not chase down 147 set by Central Cricket Club, the Hurricanes bowled out for 78 in the 15th over.
Central’s Mitchell Kane blasted the bowling making 96 off 58 balls including four sixes, while Central bowlers Paul Wylie and Mark Rogers snared three wickets each.
Meanwhile, EBOP CC’S inaugural junior rep team took on their Western Bay of Plenty counterparts at Rex Morpeth Park on Sunday. Unfortunately, the weather meant the game was abandoned after the first innings, however, the significance of the event was not lost on the club.
The Year 6 representative team consisted of players picked from across the club’s four junior teams and was the first time the club had had the depth to field a representative team in its junior ranks since its establishment.