Te Puke teams among finalists of Western Bay competition
Last weekend was Western Bay Cricket’s semifinal weekend, and Baaj Sports confirmed their top ranking in the division 1 season-long competition with an 88-run semifinal win over Mount Maunganui on Saturday.
Batting first, Baaj Sports piled on the runs to set the Mount a target of 174 to win.
Gurinder Singh belted the highest score of the encounter with 52 runs. Mount Maunganui were bowled out for 87 to hand Baaj Sports a place in next week’s division 1 final.
Te Puke booked the other final berth after beating Cadets by five wickets.
The division 2 crown will be fought out between Sher E Punjab Te Puke and Greerton, who emerged victorious from the post section play.
The Te Puke-based side bowled Tauranga Boys’ College out for 124 and then took out a six wicket win, while David Street bowled Greerton to victory over Baaj Sports with a five wicket bag.
The highest score of the semifinals was posted in the division 3 matchup between Grasshoppers and Albion. Hoppers reached 224 for six, with Hayden Goodall finishing with an unbeaten 98 runs.
Three wickets apiece picked up by Andrew Balfour and Sarn Lee did the damage, as Albion were restricted to 151/9.
The division 3 Mount Maunganui derby was taken out by the fourth XI youngsters, who reached 159/5 then bowled the club’s third XI out for 98 to claim an 81-run win.
Louis Robinson top-scored for the Mount fourth selection with 65 runs.
The Baaj Sports third XI joins their first team counterparts in finals day action, after getting past Danphe CC by 35 runs, in the division 4 playoffs.
They will meet the winner of the Baaj Sports four v United Indians who didn’t post a result.
Classic Builders Division 1
Baaj Sports 173 (Gurinder Singh 52, Josh Allen 3/27) defeated Mount Maunganui 87 (Manvir Singh 3/14, Gurinder Singh 3/21) by 88 runs Cadets 151 lost to Te Puke 153/5 (Benjamin Hunter-blair 38) by 5 wickets
Classic Builders Division 2
Tauranga Boys College 124 (Flynn Waller 38, Mandeep Singh Brar 4/22) lost to Sheer E Punjab Te Puke 127/6 (Mayank Tandon 54, Jamie Veall 3/24) by 4 wickets
Baaj Sports 88 (David Street 5/25) lost to Greerton
Classic Builders Division 3
Grasshoppers 224/6 (Hayden Goodall 98*, Anthony Beatson 41) defeated Albion 151/9 (Darryl Morrison 38, Rob Ermens 38*, Andrew Balfour 3/18, Sarn Lee 3/36) by 73 runs
Mount Maunganui Fourth XI 179/5 (Louis Robinson 65, Kale Wellington 45, Felix Payne 40) defeated Mount Maunganui Third XI all out (Jason Luke 39, Oscar Tutt 3/13) by 81 runs
Classic Builders Division 4
Baaj Sports 152 (Arshdeep Setta 36, Ram Shrestha 3/29) defeated Danphe CC 117 (Ajit Chaudhary 44, Rambo Singh 5/18) by 35 runs
Baaj Sports 2 v United Indians XI — no result posted