Te Puke fightback falls short against Cadets
Defending Baywide Cup holders Element IMF Cadets had to overcome a tailend fightback from New World Te Puke at the Tauranga Domain before securing a 21-run victory on Saturday.
Gurwinder Singh, who heads the Cadets bowling attack, showed his skills with the bat to top score with a fine 56 not out, as his side were removed for 198.
Northern Districts allrounder Sean Davey got Cadets away to a good start at the top of the innings with 47 runs. Christian MacDonald was the best of the Te Puke bowlers, with four wickets at a cost of 33 runs.
Te Puke Captain Stephen Crossan (46) was in solid form at the top of his side’s innings, as wickets fell at the other end. The Cadets bowlers then ramped up the action with Te Puke in real trouble, before Brody Gilroy (45) and Iman Singh (30) put together an 80-run stand for the eighth wicket.
However, Cadets prevailed to pick up the win points on offer, with Tauranga Boys’ College student Jacob Logan impressing with four wickets.
Te Puke’s Reserve Grade side sat out the weekend with a bye.
Three Papamoa teams in the B Grade title race were involved in two runfests, which saw a century apiece posted by two Papamoa batsmen.
Alice Johnson Reserve was the venue of the Papamoa derby where PapaOMAs and Papamoa Wanderers went head to head. PapaOMAs batted first and posted a big target, when they finished their 4 overs at 262 for the loss of six wickets.
Andrew Goldsmith was in superb touch, blasting an unbeaten 171 as he carved up the boundaries at the Papamoa
ground.
Three-wicket bags from PapaOMAs bowlers George Howard and Marc Rolleston did the damage as Wanderers were bowled out for 184 to give the PapaOMAs an unbeaten start to the season.
Aaron Barbour led Papamoa Tangaroa to an eight-wicket win against longtime B Grade contenders Grasshoppers at Mitchell Park. Hoppers set their Papamoa opponents a solid target when they were removed for 204. Barbour opened his side’s reply to carry his bat with 137 not out, with victory coming in the 34th over.