Cricket: Cadets thoroughly school Mount Maunganui

Nick Earl's innings of 71 not out was the highest of the Williams Cup round. Photo/File

The Battle of the Bridge at the Tauranga Domain on Saturday eventually resulted in a comfortable win to Element IMF Cadets over defending champions Mount Maunganui.

Cadets batted first on their home turf and were allowed to set a substantial target by the Mount bowling attack. Nick Earl was there at the end of the innings when Cadets reached 245/5, with Earl unbeaten on 71.

Ben Jensen was in good touch with the willow posting 63, with Alex Oakley (43) and skipper Ben Christensen (32) both making useful contributions. Dan Hill took three wickets for Mount Maunganui.

Mount Maunganui made a determined start to the chase and were on track with the required run rate early in their innings, before the Cadets bowlers took charge. Two new recruits in the Cadets premier line-up took the bowling honours, with Christian MacDonald (3/6) and Chris Norton (3/37) doing the damage with the ball, as Mount Maunganui were removed for 162. Hayden Byrnes top-scored with 46 runs for Mount Maunganui.

City Sports Bar Te Puke joined Cadets at the top of the standings, winning their second successive match, against BOP Indians in the Sulphur City. Tai Bridgman-Raison top-scored with a crisp 36 in an innings where most of the Te Puke batsmen got starts. However, the match belonged to the Te Puke bowlers, who bundled the Rotorua side out for 70. Raminder Singh bowled line and length to take four wickets for just 17 runs, while Bay of Plenty rep bowler Jeremy Bates troubled the opposition batting wherever he had the ball, to finish with two wickets.

Central posted 228/8 against Eves Realty Greerton at Pemberton Park, in spite of losing three wickets off the last three balls of their turn at bat. Ryan Pedley (56) Johnny Barrow (48) and Kyle Blanchard (38) performed with the bat for the visitors, with Dan Spencer the best of the Greerton bowlers taking 3/64. In spite of Shane Wineti (32), Pip Thickpenny (31) and Logan Dench (26) getting good starts, Greerton were removed for 174. Jason Trembath and Vaughan Blanchard did the damage with the ball, taking three wickets apiece.

Whakatane United showed their potential when they produced an outstanding all round performance in defeating Tauranga Boys' College by seven wickets. Alex Yates (4/20) and Stephen Ford (3/41) took the majority of the Tauranga students' wickets as they were dismissed for 186. The Eastern Bay side's home town victory was a walk in the park, with Tom Yates top scoring with an unbeaten 58 and Hugh Adin reaching 48 before he was dismissed.