Cricket: Rotorua Central secure semi berth

Rotorua Central have secured a spot in the semifinals of the Williams Cup. Pictured is Central's Jonny Barrow. Photo / Andrew Warner

With one round left to play, Rotorua's Central Cricket Club have secured a spot in the semifinals of the prized Williams Cup.

Central are tied top of the table in the Baywide competition, alongside Mount Maunganui and Otumoetai Cadets.

Greerton are fourth on the table and will likely be the other team in the semifinals.

The top two sides after the final round this coming Saturday will qualify for the major semifinal, which includes a second life for the loser.

Third and fourth place will play in the other semifinal.

Central won a reduced over affair on Saturday with defending champions Te Puke at Smallbone Park in Rotorua.

The visitors batted first and were removed for 117, before Central were made to work hard for the victory, losing six wickets on the way. Meanwhile, the Bay of Plenty Indians (Rotorua) picked up their first win in the Williams Cup this season after beating Whakatane United in a thriller on Saturday. Whakatane batted first at their home ground Rex Morpeth Park, in the reduced over encounter, and were bowled out for 128.

Jayvant Dhanjee took three wickets for the Indians.

Led by 41 runs from Liam Kelly, the Rotorua visitors got home with one ball to spare and eight wickets down, with Brent Sharma returning 4-17 for the home side.

Cadets and Greerton engaged in a war of attrition at the Tauranga Domain, before Cadets snuck home.

Greerton took first use of the wicket and were dismissed for 174, before Cadets won the match with just two wickets remaining.

Mount Maunganui cemented their place at the top of the standings, with an easy win over Tauranga Boys' College at Mount headquarters at Blake Park.

Tauranga Boys' won the toss and elected to bat and were removed for just 98. After Mount Maunganui lost an early wicket, 16-year-old Blair McKenzie led the Mount charge for victory, as the home side cruised to a nine-wicket win.

- Williams Cup results on Saturday:

Tauranga Boys' College 98 (Sean Wakelin 22; Dale Swan 3-8, Nick Smith 2-12, Dan Hill 2-34) lost to Mount Maunganui 101-1 (Blair McKenzie 62no, N Smith 27no)

Greerton 174 (Josh Bates 36, Charles Williams 25; Morgan Bidois 3-15, Scott Steward 2-33) lost to Cadets 176-8 (S Steward 64; J Bates 3-48, Harris Aslam 2-32)

Whakatane United 128 (Matt Davies 26no, Tom Yates 26; Jayvant Dhanjee 3-11, Bipul Das 2-26) lost to BOP Indians 129-8 (Liam Kelly 41no, I Singh 29; Brett Sharma 4-17)

Te Puke 117 lost to Central 118-6

- Points table:

Mount Maunganui 30, Cadets 30, Central 30, Greerton 24, Te Puke 18, BOP Indians 9, Tauranga Boys College 3, Whakatane United 0.