Cricket: Mid-table battle heats up in Rotorua/Taupo senior reserve grade

Geyser City Western Heights High School player Ken McIlroy takes a one-handed catch against Central at Smallbone Park. Photo / Ben Fraser

While Bay of Plenty Indians are sitting pretty at the top of the Rotorua/Taupo reserve grade table, a five-team battle for the other semi-final spots is heating up below them.

Indians continued their unbeaten run by demolishing Taupo Old Boys 2 at the weekend, getting them all out for 49 runs before chasing down the total for the loss of just two wickets.

They now sit on 30 points at the top of the table, while Central, Lake Taupo, Geyser City Western Heights High School Old Boys, Taupo Old Boys 1 and Geyser City John Paul College Old Boys all have 12 points. Taupo Old Boys 2 are bottom of the table with zero points.

On Saturday, Central got back to winning ways against Geyser WHHS. Central batted first and were all out for 132 off 33 overs. Aaron Bennett top-scored with 31 runs, while David Hunt and Ryan Neves scored 28 each. The best of the Geyser bowlers was Matt Collier with three wickets for 21 runs.

Geyser City Western Heights High School player Ken McIlroy takes a one-handed catch against Central at Smallbone Park. Photo / Ben Fraser

In the second innings Geyser struggled to build partnerships as Central bowler Jake Rowe put them to the sword with four wickets for just seven runs off his eight overs. They were all out for 105, giving Central a 27-run victory. Joe O'Donoghue top-scored for Geyser with 19.

In the Taupo derby, Lake Taupo batted first against Taupo Old Boys 1 and smashed their way to a total of 248 runs. In reply Taupo Old Boys were all out for 75.

Geyser City John Paul College Old Boys had the bye.

This weekend Bay of Plenty Indians can deservedly put their feet up with the bye while Lake Taupo play Central, Taupo Old Boys 1 play Geyser JPC and Taupo Old Boys 2 play Geyser WHHS.

Rotorua/Taupo senior reserve grade points

Bay of Plenty Indians 30, Central 12, Lake Taupo 12, Geyser WHHS 12, Taupo Old Boys 1 12, Geyser JPC 12, Taupo Old Boys 2 0.