Cricket: Williams Cup finalists found

Greerton pace bowler Tommy Clout fires down another delivery in Saturday's win over Central Indians. Photo / Andrew Warner

Greerton and Cadets will fight out the 2018 Williams Cup title at the Bay Oval next Saturday after the semifinals and preliminary finals were completed over the weekend.

Eves Realty Greerton batted first against Bayleys Central Indians in the major semifinal at Pemberton Park on Saturday. Pip Thickpenny top scored with 54.

A ninth wicket partnership between keeper Tom Renouf (27no) and Jared Tutty took the hosts through to 192/8 off 50 overs.

Attacking Greerton bowling from the opening ball of the visitors' reply quickly had the Central Indians batsmen on the back foot.

The first wicket fell with just four runs on the board and quickly became 24/3 then 34/6. Tenth wicket partnership between Andrew Gibbs (27no) and Shonit Chandra (25) took the Central Indians to 134.

Bay of Plenty paceman Tommy Clout took 4-32 runs with Tutty taking three and leggie James Boyd two wickets.

Element IMF Cadets earned a trip to Rotorua yesterday to fight out the preliminary final against Central Indians after they ended Carrus Mount Maunganui's season in the sudden-death minor semifinal at Blake Park.

Cadets set the home side a target of 180 to win with Sean Davey, who had scored a century for ND A during the week, posting his sides top score of 87.

Keeper Daniel Maathuis scored 33 with Chris Atkinson and veteran all-rounder Nick Smith grabbing three wickets each.

In reply Mount Maunganui were dismissed for 70. Captain Jono Boult produced Cadets best bowling figures of 3-10 while Kamal Bains also took a three wicket haul.

Cadets made next Saturday's Williams Cup final after taking little time to beat Central Indians at Smallbone Park in Rotorua yesterday.

Batting first Central Indians were rolled for just 72 in the 16th over. Cadets, who will be chasing their 11th Williams Cup crown next weekend, waltzed to a nine wicket victory with the encounter concluded with the last ball of the 13th over.

Boult for the second successive weekend took a six wicket bag returning 6-22 with Davey taking three cheap wickets. Sohel Rana was the best of the home side's batsmen with 28 runs.

Ruben Clinton (35no) and Fergus Lellman (30no) took Cadets through to contest Saturday's final.

Williams Cup
Saturday
Major semifinal: Greerton 192/8 (P Thickpenny 54, T Renouf 22no; J Rowe 3-29, R Gosai 2-27) defeated Central Indians 134 (A Gibbs 27no, R Gosai 26, S Chandra 25; T Clout 4-32, J Tutty 3-37, J Boyd 2-11)

Minor Semifinal: Cadets 179 (S Davey 87. D Maathuis 33; C Atkinson 3/21, N Smith 3-35, D Swan 2-22) defeated Mount Maunganui 70 (J Boult 3-10, K Bains 3-15, G Singh 2-10)

Sunday
Preliminary Final
Central Indians 72 (S Rana 28; J Boult 6-22, S Davey 3-6) lost to Cadets 73/1(R Clinton 35no, F Lellman 30no)