Cricket: Cadets and Central Indians face off in Williams Cup final at Bay Oval

Central Indians' Lovely Sandhu batting. Photo / File

This weekend's Williams Cup title decider clash will be an inter-city battle between two clubs who have each tasted title success.

The Western Bay of Plenty's Element IMF Cadets and Rotorua's Bayleys Central Indians will face off in the Bay of Plenty Cricket Association's Williams Cup final at Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval tomorrow.

Both teams have tasted Williams Cup success, with Central Indians under the banner of the Rotorua Central Cricket Club, so they know exactly what's on the line.

🏆🐯🔥1 Last Time...Get Around Us!🔥🐯🏆 🎥| The team representing us in the Bay of Plenty Cricket Williams Cup Final, remains unchanged from last weekend's washed out semi-final. 📍| Bay Oval, Tauranga. 🗓| Saturday 30th March. (Reserve day is 31st). ⏰| 12 noon. 🆚️| Cadets Cricket Club 👊🏽| We have wins against every Premier Grade club in the last thirteen months. We were semi-finalists last season. We won against two of the favourite teams during this campaign. Now, let's rise up one more time. #RotoruasOnlyPrems #RiseUpRiseUp #CICC #BleedBlue

Posted by Central Indians Cricket Club on Wednesday, 27 March 2019

The Williams Cup is the symbol of Baywide cricket superiority, with the oldest Bay of Plenty Cricket prize dating back to the 1932-33 season, when the City Cricket Club took out the first Bay of Plenty Cricket Championship title.

The formation of Ōtūmoetai Cadets 41 years ago, sparked a Cadets vice-like grip on the Baywide trophy, with the Tauranga Domain-based premier team winning the Williams Cup five times from 1995 to 1999, later adding another five Williams Cup titles to their trophy list since 2000.

Cadets bowler Jono Boult in action this season. Photo / File

While Central Indians only came together as a combined entity three seasons ago, both the Central Cricket Club and Bay of Plenty Indian Sports cricket, stretch back decades.

Central started life under the banner of the Rotorua RSA, with the formation of the Central Club, coming about a when a rule was proposed that players had to be returned servicemen.

The Bay Indian Cricket Club participation in Bay of Plenty Cricket also dates back a number of decades.

Cadets and Central Indians made the Williams Cup final after their major semifinal was abandoned last Saturday, propelling the two top qualifiers into battle for this year's title.

The finalists met in round four of the Williams Cup qualifying competition, with Cadets coming home from Rotorua's Smallbone Park with the win.

Williams Cup Champions (2000–2018):
2018: Greerton.
2017: Ōtūmoetai Cadets.
2016: Te Puke.
2015: Mount Maunganui.
2014: Te Puke.
2013: Mount Maunganui.
2012: Greerton.
2011: Mount Maunganui.
2010: Ōtūmoetai Cadets.
2009: Tauranga Boys' College.
2008: Mount Maunganui.
2007: Rotorua Central.
2006: Ōtūmoetai Cadets.
2005: Ōtūmoetai Cadets.
2004: Te Puke.
2003: Ōtūmoetai Cadets.
2002: Albion.
2001: Te Puke.
2000: AC United.