Cricket: Central surprise themselves

Central celebrate winning back-to-back Baywide T20 titles at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Saturday. Photo / Supplied

Rotorua's Central Cricket Club have won back-to-back Baywide T20 titles after defeating Otumoetai Cadets in the title decider.

The final T20 round-robin matches were played in the early afternoon in Mount Maunganui on Saturday before the grand final later the same day at the Bay Oval.

Central captain Jason Trembath said going into the day's matches, they did not think they would make the final much less win the whole competition.

"We went into the day not expecting to get into the final so we were helped by the fact Greerton got up over the Mount."

Mount lost their last round robin match and Central won their final match against Whakatane United, meaning Central qualified for the final ahead of the Mount.

They went up against a good Cadets side and won the toss and batted first.

"It was a good toss to win. It was a good batting track and bowling is usually the strength in our team."

He said when they posted 153/8 they believed it was enough to defend. "And the bowlers defended it well. It was just an all round great team effort really."

Trembath, who was later named man of the match, posted 46 runs in the final.

Meanwhile, Vaughan Blanchard, Ben Blackett and Tahir Afridi all reached the 20s, with Ben Christensen the best of the Cadets' bowlers taking two wickets for 19 runs.

The Western Bay side made a cracking start to their run chase, but the Central slow bowlers quickly cut down the Cadets' momentum.

Needing 40-odd runs off the last four overs proved too much with Cadets restricted to 143/7. Central's Ben Watkinson returned 2/19.

Just two teams have their names engraved on the Baywide T20 trophy, with Central joining Tauranga Boys' College who won the first two editions of the Baywide T20 Championship.

Trembath said winning back-to-back titles was a big result for the Rotorua club.

"Yea, it is a big achievement for the club ... the T20 competition is not the most important one of the season but it is good to pick up some silverware."

He said the boys would now turn their focus back on the Williams Cup, where Central currently sit in a good position to make the semifinals.

- Baywide T20 results on Saturday:

Baywide T20 final:

Central 152/8 (Jason Trembath 46, Vaughan Blanchard 26, Ben Blackett 21, Tahir Afridi 20; Ben Christensen 2/19) defeated Cadets 143/7 (Sean Davey 37; Ben Watkinson 2/19)

Round Seven:

Central 168/8 (J Trembath 49, V Blanchard 38) defeated Whakatane United 52 (J Trembath 3/17, V Blanchard 2/14)

Cadets 220/1 (S Davey 106no, Tom Sole 85; Donovan Deeble 22no) defeated BOP Indians 95 (K Corder 4/15, Morgan Bidois 3/21)

Greerton 158/5 (Charles Williams 107no) defeated Mount Maunganui 139/8

Tauranga Boys' College 170/7 (Mark Orchard 64, Tom Renouf 28, D Clarke 20) defeated Te Puke 131/5 (Brody Gilroy 33, Matt Dwight 30)