Premier Baywide cricket season gets underway on today with seven premier teams chasing premier honours in the Baywide Cup, T20 and Williams Cup.

The withdrawal of Whakatane United has resulted in a bye during the six months of competition.

Bay of Plenty Cricket Champions of Champions Carrus Mount Maunganui, who won the Hart Family Trophy for the third successive season in March 2015, are again eyeing the big prize on offer in the Baywide cricket competitions.

There has been a change at the helm at Mount Maunganui premier side, with long time premier player Nick Smith taking on the captains role.

Smith has played in the Green and Gold uniform, since joining the Mount 1^st XI from Mount Maunganui College, nearly 20 years ago.

Last season the all-rounder wrote his name on the Mount honours board with a maiden century and a six wicket bag in the Mount Maunganui victory in the Williams Cup title decider.

Key batsmen will be Bay of Plenty skipper Peter Drysdale who is big cog in the Mount batting attack and two hard-working young men in Ben Musgrave and Blair McKenzie, who have both represented Northern Districts in the age group ranks.

Tony Goodin is a real match winner with the ball, but will be restricted in his Mount Maunganui appearances, due to Northern Knights duty during the season.

Chris Atkinson, is one of the most consistent line and length bowlers in the Baywide ranks and will take a leading role in the Mount's fast ball attack.

Baywide Cup title-holders Eves Realty Greerton have recruited four new players. Former Poverty Bay rep Jeremy Bates and Don McCall, along with Sean Dykes and Harrison Perry from Tauranga Boys', will debut for the club this season.

The batting line-up will see Bay of Plenty representatives Tom MacRury, Cam Neal and Brett Hampton (when available from ND duty) forming a potent batting attack. Macrury smashed last year's highest score blasting 171 in Baywide Cup action.

Skipper Shane Wineti, Richie Earl and keeper Kent Hodder are other more than handy Greerton batsmen.

The Greerton quick bowlers will be spearheaded by Campbell Thomas and Dan Spencer. The best Baywide wicket haul last season was produced by Spencer who grabbed 7/23 in a Baywide Cup encounter. Club stalwart Murray Jarvis, showed with four wickets against Tauranga Boys' College in a pre-season hit-out, he is always dangerous when handed the ball later in the innings.

While Element IMF Cadets didn't win any Baywide silverware, they were extremely consistent making the Williams Cup and Baywide finals and finishing third in the T20 championship.

Long-time Cadets player Scott Steward has been given the captains duties for the first time.

There is experience galore in the Cadets 1^st XI, with Ben Christensen, Scott Steward, Morten Freer and James Birchall along with Jono Boult and Joe Carter when available from the Northern Knights.

Ben Christensen topped the Bayside batting honours in the 2014-15 season blasting 571 runs

Donovan Deeble, who was the top Baywide wicket taker with 40 bowling scalps, will lead the Tauranga Domain based team's bowling attack. Tom Boorman is returning from the UK after his debut season with Cadets and is bringing promising young fast bowler Lou Brook out with him.

Bayleys Central won back to back Baywide T20 titles in March 2015, to mark the Rotorua representatives as genuine contenders for Baywide silverware this season.

They will again be captained by Jason Trembath, who broke back into the Bay of Plenty representative team after a five yearsabsence.

For the third successive cricket season, Ryan Pedley is making the journey from the UK, to play for Central during the English winter.

Pedley will be accompanied by Graeme Whiles who is expected to make real impression while in the country.

Jason Trembath is adept with both bat and ball and is a genuine match winner.

Bay of Plenty rep bowler Andrew Gibbs can trouble the best of the Baywide batsmen with the ball in hand.

New World Te Puke has recruited well in the off season and look to have a quality line-up, to become genuine contenders, in the three Bay of Plenty Cricket premier competitions.

The team's bowling stocks have soared with the addition of Christian MacDonald and Alex Gooding from Cadets and Mount Maunganui respectively. Vice-captain Brody Gilroy is always dangerous with the new ball in hand.

Te Puke stalwart Stephen Crossan will skipper the club premier squad for the first time. Long-time Te Puke Cricket Club member Tai Bridgman-Raison will anchor the batting, along with Sam and Scott Tallott who have shifted to the Bay after travelling from Gisborne during the previous two years.

Tauranga Boys' College teachers Charles Williams and Tim Clarke, have answered the call of duty and will take on the role of player/coaches, in the Cooney Less Morgan Tauranga Boys' College 1^st XI.

While previous player/coach Mark Orchard has stepped down to spend time with his young family, he is likely to fill in on occasions.

Key players are hard hitting opening batsman Sean Wakelin and talented all-rounder Josh Ormrod. Opening bowler Gurinder Singh will trouble the opposition while Tom Renouf is another quality player.

Rotorua based Bay of Plenty Bay of Plenty Indians, have appointed one of the youngest captains to be seen in Baywide cricket for many years.

Yohanna Irani who played for BOPCA Coastland Senior Secondary team last season. He will skipper the fortunes of the Rotorua team. Such is the talent of the top order batsman that he was selected for the BOPCA Development team 12 months ago while still at secondary school.

Northern Knights batsman Bharat Popli, transferred from Mount Maunganui two years ago and will be a vital cog in the Bay of Plenty Indian Sports Club side when available. GS Gargan was a prolific run scorer in Western Bay of Plenty Reserve Grade last season and has answered the challenge of playing top echelon cricket. Himesh Gosai is another whose star could shine during the season.

Carrus Mount Maunganui

Home Ground: Blake Park

2014/15 Top Four Finishes: Champion of Champions (Hart Family Trophy) winner

Williams Cup – winner; Baywide Cup – 2^nd; Baywide T20 – 3^rd equal.

Player Gains: Mark Divehall (from early retirement)

Player Losses: Tim Clarke, Ben Guild, Alex Gooding

Captain: Nick Smith

Eves Realty Greerton

Home Ground: Pemberton Park

2014/15 Top Four Finishes: Baywide Cup – winner.

Player Gains: Josh Bates (Poverty Bay) Don McCall (Dunedin) Sean Dykes, Harrison Perry (TBC)

Player Losses: Charles Williams

Captain: Shane Wineti

New World Te Puke

Home Ground: Te Puke Domain

2014/15 Top Four Finishes': Baywide Cup – 4^th; Williams Cup 3^rd equal.

Player Gains: Christian MacDonald (Cadets) Tom Wakelin, Gareth Wallace (TBC) Alex Gooding (Mount Maunganui)

Player Losses: Mitch McCann, Josh Dwight

Captain: Stephen Crossan Coach: Peter Swan

Element IMF Cadets

Home Ground: Tauranga Domain

2014/15 Top Four Finishes: Williams Cup - 2^nd; Baywide T20 2^nd; Baywide Cup 3^rd.

Player Gains: Tom Boorman (returning from Scholes CC, UK) Lou Brook (Scholes CC) Morton Freer (Napier) Zac Scott (returning) Josh Dwight (Te Puke)

Player Losses: Christian MacDonald, Nick Earl

Captain: Scott Steward

Bayleys Central

Home Ground: Smallbone Park/Boord Park

2014/15 Top Four Finishes: Baywide T20 winner; Williams Cup 3^rd equal.

Player Gains: Ryan Pedley (returning from UK) Graham Whiles (UK) Liam Kelly(BOP Indians)

Player Losses: Vaughan Blanchard

Captain: Jason Trembath

Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College

Home Ground: Nicholson Field

2014/15 Top Four Finishes: Baywide Cup 3^rd equal.

Player Gains: Charles Williams (Greerton) Tim Clarke (Mount Maunganui)

Player Losses: Tom Wakelin, Jonty Gregson, Harrison Perry, Gareth Wallace, Sean Dykes, Luke Aldersley, Mark Orchard.

Player/Coaches: Charles Williams & Tim Clarke

Bay of Plenty Indians

Home Ground: Smallbone Park/Boord Park

Player Gains: Parry Kulaar, GS Gargan (Western Bay of Plenty) Zankrut Desai, Nick Field

Player Losses: Jayvant Dhanjee

Captain: Yohanna Irani