Element IMF Cadets and New World Te Puke will fight out the 2017 Baywide Cup title at the Tauranga Domain today.While Cadets have won twice before, Te Puke are aiming to lift the trophy for the first time.
A very important extra incentive to win the Baywide Cup is provided by the winner going on to represent Bay of Plenty in the ND Club Championships in 2018.
Cadets led the round robin qualifying rounds without tasting defeat. By contrast, Te Puke had to engage in a winner-take-all shootout with Eves Realty Greerton last weekend, to book a spot in the final.
Led by a century from new season recruit Umesh Ranaraja, Greerton posted a solid target when they were bowled out for 241. Two knocks in the 60s, from long-serving Te Puke batsmen Stephen Crossan and Tai Bridgman-Raison, took their team to a four-wicket win.
The two leading batsmen in the Baywide Cup batting stakes could play a big part in the title decider at the Tauranga Domain. Bay of Plenty representative Joe Carter sits at the top of the batting standings with 263 runs and a high score of 137 not out. Carter has the rare distinction of having blasted a Twenty20 representative century, when he smacked an unbeaten 122 against Poverty Bay two weeks ago.
