Baywide Cricket: Season over for Te Puke and Pāpāmoa

Iman Nahal was top scorer in Te Puke’s final Williams Cup game of the season with 35 not out.

Te Puke’s second loss in as many weeks proved costly in the final round of Williams Cup games at the weekend.

The match between Mount Maunganui and Te Puke saw 16 wickets fall before Mount Maunganui emerged victorious. Te Puke was bowled out for 125, with the Mount side having to work hard for a four-wicket win.

The result meant Te Puke was in a three-way tie for the fourth and final Williams Cup play-off spot alongside Pāpāmoa and Rotorua’s Central Indians.

Delving back into the season’s results, Central Indians had the better of the clashes with their rivals and so on Monday, the Rotorua side was confirmed as the fourth semi-finalist.

They will take their place in the playoffs alongside top-placed Cadets, Greerton and the Mount.

Pāpāmoa made their charge for a playoff spot by beating (then) competition leader Greerton, at Alice Johnson Oval. The home side batted first and reached 200 for nine wickets in their allotted 50 overs.

Andrew Goldsmith and Nikhil Vishwanath, each posted half-centuries, with Jared Tutty and James Boyd grabbing three wickets apiece. Greerton were removed for 135 in the 34th over. Mathew Rees took four wickets at a cost of 31 runs

Central Indians shot into post-section play contention after defeating Geyser City by 37 runs. Jeff Simmonds anchored his side’s total of 239/6 with 80 runs and Stephen Nicholls reached 68 before being removed.

Cadets secured the top finishing spot (and a home semi-final) with an easy eight-wicket win against Geyser City. The Rotorua home side were dismissed for 139, with Cadets cruising to victory for the loss of just two wickets in the 24th over. Match honours belonged to Cadets bowler Liam Collett with 5/29 and a half-century posted by Andrew Mascall.

BOPCA Versatile Tauranga Williams Cup Result

Sanford Wall Lawyers Central Indians 239/6 (Jeff Simmonds 80, Stephen Nicholls 68, Jake Rowe 30no) defeated Craigs Tauranga Boys’ College 202 (Aryan Aryal 57, Scott Curtis 54; Andrew Gibbs 4/27, Jake Rowe 3/25)

Craigs Geyser City 139 (Liam Collett 5/29) lost to Element IMF Cadets 142/2 (Andrew Mascall 52no)

Pāpāmoa 200/9 (Andrew Goldsmith 54, Nikhil Vishwanath 52, Pieter Osbourne 33; Jared Tutty 3/26, James Boyd 3/43) defeated Eves Realty Greerton 135 (Billy Syme 33; Mathew Rees 4/31, Keagan Bromilow 3/36)

Flying Mullet Te Puke 125 (Iman Nahal 35no; Carl Brungar 4/11) lost to Mount Maunganui 126/6 (Josh Parsons 38)

Points Table: Cadets 35, Greerton 33, Mount Maunganui 32, Te Puke 30, Central Indians 30, Pāpāmoa 30, Lake Taupo 22, Geyser City 21, Tauranga Boys’ College 13.