Tension is building in the race to the semifinals of the Williams Cup with just two rounds of qualifying rounds remaining.
With a logjam consisting of Mount Maunganui, Otumoetai Cadets, Greerton and Rotorua Central on top of the standings, there is incentive to finish in the top two where an extra life in the play-offs is on the line.
When the semifinals roll around on March 21 the top two sides on the ladder will play in the first semifinal, while three and four will play-off in the other semi. The winner of the first semifinal will go straight to the final while the loser will get a second-chance against the winner of the second semifinal. Tomorrow there are plenty of important fixtures to help decide the final placings. Rotorua Central and defending Williams Cup title holders Te Puke will meet at Smallbone Park in the Sulphur City. Te Puke lurk just a win away from the top of the table, but a loss to Central could knock them out from making the semis. Two Central bowlers could be the key to victory, with skipper Jason Trembath and Tahir Afridi sitting in the Williams Cup top-four bowling stakes.
Meanwhile, the foil to the Central bowling attack should be provided by Te Puke batsmen Tai Bridgman-Raison and Stephen Crossan, who have been in good form with the willow.
Meanwhile, the winner of the encounter at the Tauranga Domain between hosts Cadets and Greerton will take a big step towards the top two. While the two sides will be without their Bay of Plenty representative players, who are on duty against Poverty Bay in Gisborne, both teams will take strong line-ups.
