Cricket: Major upsets leave title race open

The Bay of Plenty Indians premier side picked up their first win of the season against Te Puke on Saturday. Pictured is Indians batsman Sanjay Unka. Photo / Andrew Warner

The Baywide T20 form book was thrown out the window in Tauranga after a series of major upsets in which the bottom three teams beat their more favoured opponents.

With one round of qualifying left to play next weekend before the 2015 Baywide T20 final, five teams have a mathematical chance of making the final.

Three upsets took centre stage in the early afternoon round on Saturday at Fergusson Park.

Te Puke batted first against the Bay of Plenty Indians (Rotorua) and were removed for 121, with Liam Kelly grabbing three wickets for 18 runs.

The Rotorua side, who hadn't posted a win in any of the three Baywide competitions this season, were in good shape at 3/77 and held on for a three-wicket victory.

Bipul Das posted a match-winning 48 for the victors.

Mount Maunganui were also handed defeat by Tauranga Boys' College, who hadn't mustered a win in the first four rounds of the T20 title race.

The Mount team were restricted to 128/8.

Led by Tauranga Boys' mentor Mark Orchard with a crisp 57, the students got home when Tom Wakelin hit a six off the last ball of the game.

Whakatane United were the third side to post their first T20 win, defeating Greerton.

Whakatane bowled first dismissing Greerton for 154/7, then cantered to a solid six-wicket win courtesy of a half century to Alex Yates.

Cadets provided Central with the first loss of their T20 campaign, reaching 136 all out then restricting the Rotorua side to 112/8.

In the late afternoon round, the Cadets versus Greerton game was an absolute thriller, with the two teams both reaching 137.

The encounter then went to a one-over per side bowl-off, with Cadets taking out the match courtesy of winning the decider.

Whakatane United won their second successive game, defeating BOP Indians and Tauranga Boys' College also won two on the day, when they defeated Central.

Mount Maunganui joined Cadets in a share of the lead on the points ladder when they defeated Te Puke.

Baywide T20 results on Saturday:

Round five:

Te Puke 121 (T Bridgman-Raison 34; L Kelly 3/18) lost to BOP Indians 122/7 (B Das 48, Y Irani 23; G Bishell 2/16)

Greerton 154/7 (S Wineti 36; J Whiteman 3/22) lost to Whakatane United 157/3 (A Yates 59, D Brent 44, J Barrett 39)

Cadets 136 (S Davey 60) defeated Central 112/8 (C MacDonald 2/26)

Mount Maunganui 128/8 (N Smith 43, D Swan 33; H Williams 3/18) lost to Tauranga Boys' College 130/7 (M Orchard 57; D Hill 2/27)

Round Six:

Greerton 137/8 (C Williams 50; J Evemy 4/18) tied with Cadets 137/4 (S Davey 57; M Jarvis 2/28); Cadets won 4-2 in a bowl-off.

Tauranga Boys' College 125/8 (G Wallace 37; V Blanchard 3/29, B Watkinson 2/11) defeated Central 111/7 (T Afridi 51, K Blanchard 36; T Wakelin 2/19)

Whakatane United 148/7 (A Yates 39, T Yates 30; L Kelly 3/16, R Gosai 3/18) defeated BOP Indians 141(J Dhanjee 27, Y Irani 24; B Sayliss 3/29, B Sharma 2/24)

Mount Maunganui defeated Te Puke

Points Table (provisional):

Mount Maunganui 8, Cadets 8, Central 7, Whakatane United 6, Tauranga Boys' College 6, Greerton 5, Te Puke 4, BOP Indians 4.