Cricket: Reigning champions on a roll

Rotorua Central captain Jason Trembath (left) has been in brilliant form with the bat this season. Photo / George Novak

Defending Baywide T20 champions Rotorua Central have laid down a challenge to the other contenders in the smash and bash title race.

They won both their matches on Saturday, during the first two rounds of the T20 competition, against Te Puke and the Bay of Plenty Indians.

All eight premier teams in the Bay of Plenty visited Rotorua on Saturday to contest the first two rounds of the competition.

Bay of Plenty's representative players were missing for the fixtures but there was still plenty of quality cricket on display.

Batting first against Williams Cup title holders City Sports Bar Te Puke, Central posted a solid 160/6 with captain Jason Trembath scoring 89, giving the Bay selectors another positive signal after his century last weekend. Kyle Blanchard also chipped in with a handy 27.

The Central bowlers ripped through the Te Puke batting order, with English player/coach Tahir Afridi taking four wickets at a cost of just four runs.

Jamie Davies was a shining light at one end, posting 44 runs, as Te Puke were removed for 91.

Central then backed up that victory with a quick win over the Indians.

The Indians posted 68 all out before Central chased that score down in about four overs, led by captain Trembath with a fast 56 not out.

Central bowler Vaughan Blanchard also took five wickets.

"It is good to get a couple of positive results to start the [T20] season," captain Trembath said. "I said to the boys before we started on Saturday, 'let's retain the trophy'."

The only other teams to record two wins on Saturday were Greerton and Mount Maunganui. The next round of the Baywide T20 competition will be held on November 15 at Fergusson Park in Tauranga. The premier clubs will continue their Bay Cup campaigns this weekend.

Baywide T20 results on Saturday:

Round one:

BOP Indians 97/5 (Charles Williams 2/9) lost to Eves Realty Greerton 98/1 (C Williams 58no)

Tauranga Boys' College 124/6 (Gareth Wallace 61; Ben Christensen 4/16) lost to Element IMF Cadets 125/6 (B Christensen 69no; T Wakelin 2/13)

Carrus Mount Maunganui 141/9 (Ben Guild 33; J Whiteman 3/31) defeated Whakatane United 65 (Alex Yates 25; Dan Hill 3/2)

Central 160/6 (Jason Trembath 89) defeated City Sports Bar Te Puke 91 (Jamie Davies 44; Tahir Afridi 4/4)

Round two:

City Sports Bar Te Puke 182/6 (Stephen Crossan 100no) defeated Whakatane United 120 (J Barrett 62; Josh Dwight 3/15)

Tauranga Boys' College 91/9 (Cam Neal 3/14) lost to Eves Realty Greerton 95/3 (C Neal 46no)

Carrus Mount Maunganui 142/8 (B Guild 55) defeated Element IMF Cadets 116/9 (Tom Sole 29no)

BOP Indians 68 lost to Central 69/1