The opening round of the Baywide Cup premier cricket competition doesn't get much bigger than this with arch rivals Mount Maunganui and Te Puke set to renew hostilities early on.

The Mount, defending Baywide Cup champions and Te Puke, defending Williams Cup line up at Blake Park's artificial turf in what is set to be a hotly contested competition.

Photo: File.

Both sides will have several new faces in their teams, with Blackcap Dean Brownlie likely to make a rare appearance for the Mount before going off to play professional cricket for Northern Districts.

Another relatively new recruit is Ben Musgrave who in late August blasted an unbeaten 140 off 113 balls, for a Bay Invitation XI against the White Ferns in out of season hit-out.

While Te Puke have lost several club stalwarts from recent seasons, they have gained a couple of extremely promising youngsters.

Keaton Taylor and Brody Gilroy were both were selected for the Bay of Plenty Development team, while still at secondary school last season.

Glroy is a bowler who is also adept with the bat while Taylor took remarkable bowling figures of five wickets for six runs, for the Coastland Senior Secondary team on their way to retaining the ND championship title last year.

In last season's games between the two long-time rivals, the Mount easily won the Baywide Cup derby before a rare as hens teeth tie in the Williams Cup.

Another long time Western Bay rivalry will take centre stage at Pemberton Park, with Greerton hosting Otumoetai Cadets.

Cadets grabbed a winning draw in the Baywide Cup in a match where more than 550 runs were scored – before Greerton defeated the Tauranga Domain based side in the Williams Cup preliminary final by 142 runs.

The 2013/14 cricket year was a breakthrough season for Rotorua Central. They won their first Baywide trophy since annexing out the Williams Cup in 2007, when they the Mount in the title decider.

On Saturday they meet Tauranga Boys College at Boord Park, with the Western Bay School having promoted several players from the TBC pathway.

BOP Indians and Whakatane United, round out the start of the season opening round on the second artificial wicket at Boord Park.

Whakatane United will be strengthened by the return of leggie Brett Sharma with BOP Indians picking up promising Bay of Plenty age group representative Yohann Arani.

Baywide Cup Draw October 4 – Round One

Greerton v Otumoetai Cadets, Pemberton Park artificial.

Mount Maunganui v Te Puke, Blake Park artificial.

Central v Tauranga Boys College, Boord Park artificial 1.

BOP Indians v Whakatane United, Boord Park artificial 2.