First teams set big targets
The four teams batting first in the WBOPCA Division One title race set their opponents’ big totals to chase down, on Saturday.
Baaj Sports belted Hawks out of their matchup which also had Hawks defending the Don Warner Challenge Trophy.
The challengers posted 275 for the loss of eight wickets. Opening his side’s innings, Gurwinder Singh, anchored the Baaj side’s big total with 108 at a run a ball. Yogesh Yogi came in at six to contribute a handy 45 with Deepak Singh finishing with 35 to his name.
Hawks never got a chance to settle in and lost their first three wickets for 14 runs. Bikram Sandhu (35) was a shining light in his team’s run chase, as they were bundled out for 115 in the 26th over. Yogesh Yogi backed up his performance with the bat by taking four wickets.
Pa¯pa¯moa was another side to make life difficult for their opponents after they set Katikati a target of 267 in Katikati. Ryan Balsom top scored with 94 runs. The hosts were always playing catch-up and were bowled out for 176 with eight balls remaining in the game.
Mount Maunganui reached 208/7, then removed Tauranga Boys’ College for 145 to claim a 63-run win. Cadets successfully defended 175/6 in bowling United Indians out five runs short of their target.
The Division Two game between Bay Blasters and United Indians at Waipuna Park was another with a close finish. United Indians won the toss and sent the opposition into bat. Bay Blasters’ Arjun
Bhaskar and Abin Abraham both reached the 30s as their side was dismissed for a gettable 150.
In reply, United Indians’ top score of 23 told the tale of their batsmen getting starts but failing to progress, as they were bowled out for 143. Derin Davis took three wickets at a cost of 14 runs.
The best batting and bowling performances of the weekend were delivered in the Division Four game between Baaj Sports and Bay Blasters. Baaj Sports went on a batting rampage to reach 347 for the loss of six wickets. Dharminder Singh was removed four short of three figures with Rambo Singh and German Bhullar posting half-centuries.
Yash Gill ripped through Bay Blasters, in grabbing six wickets for just 23 runs. The second turn at bat came to an end in the 24th over when Bay Blasters were removed for 114. ■ WBOPCA Results
Division One
United Indians 171 (K Karan 43, Sunil Gaur 38) lost to Cadets 175/6 (Jamie Coombe 63no, Daniel Maathuis 34, Finn Dempsey 34; Amritpal Singh 3/18
Baaj Sports 275/8 (Gurwinder Singh 108, Yogesh Yogi 45, Deepak Singh 35; Happy Singh 3/38) defeated Hawks 115 (Bikram Sandhu 35; Yogesh Yogi 4/29)
Mount Maunganui 208/7 (Mitchell Dickson 66; George Athy-knibbs 3/31) defeated Tauranga Boys’ College 145 (Jamie Veall 32; Josh Allen 3/27)
Pa¯ pa¯ moa 266/7 (Ryan Balsom 94, Conner Wells 47, Mark Divehall 40) defeated Katikati 176 (Matt Butcher 3/31) Division Two
Bay Blasters 150 (Arjun Bhaskar 38, Abin Abraham 35;
Varinder Kumar 5/46) defeated United Indians 143 (Derin Davis 3/14)
Greerton 162 (Ben Line 69no; Prahjot Singh 3/28) lost to Sher E Punjab Te Puke 163/7 (Barnjit Singh 34no, Gurpreet Padda 34)
Falcons 128 (Tarun Triklani 36, Gurpreet Dhiman 30) lost to Te Puke 140/3 (Cameron Templer 49)
Cadets 139 (Chris Mascall 32; Aman Mahal 4/21, Sahil Sharma 3/18) lost to Baaj Sports 140/3 (Aman Mahal 59) Division Three
Mount Maunganui 2 — 170/8 (Connor Martin 34, Cruise Green 33no; Calum Murray 3/17) lost to Mount Maunganui 171/2 (Lawrence James 70no, Jason Luke 45no, Kyle Dovey 32)
Tauranga Boys’ College White 123 (Heston Robinson 41; Chris Uden 3/42) lost to Grasshoppers 124/3 (Bob Curran 48no, Andrew Balfour 43; Kody Irwin 3/27) Tauranga Boys’ College Blue 62 (Michael Condor 4/14, Tristan Opperman 3/16, Tony Young 3/19) lost to Pa¯ pa¯ moa 63/2
Aquinas College v Albion — no result supplied
Division Four
Danphe CC 107 (Rhdhe Yadav 33; Paul Reyneke 5/18, Jake Ryan 3/31) lost to Greerton 108/7 (Carter Fitzpatrick 47) Baaj Sports 347/6 (Dharminder Singh 96, German Bhullar 58, Rambo Singh 53, Gary Singh 40no) defeated Bay Blasters 114 (JP Johny 34; Yash Gill 6/23)
Katikati 191 (GS Babbu 65, Pratik Patel 48; Kamal Singh 4/22) lost to United Indians 192/8 (Narinder Singh 54, Naseeb Kumar 42)
Cadets 103 (Amandeep Singh 3/23) lost to Baaj Sports2 195/2 (Piara Brar 49no).