Sideline Sid - Sports blogger Sideline Sid is a local sport fanatic. Not only is he a classic rugby bloke but he has views, opinions and knowledge on all sports played in the Bay of Plenty.

Most people secretly like to see the underdog prevail when David defeats Goliath. Unfortunately in sport it doesn't happen very often – however when the outsider gets up to win, there is usually unbridled joy on display.

Last weekend the little dog beating the big dogs, was played out in the post section rounds of the Western Bay Cricket B Grade first round.
Cricket is unique in that it has a competitive game that caters for all aspirations. Baywide premier club cricket is for the players who want to test their capabilities against the best and perhaps push on for representative honours.
Western Bay Reserve Grade caters for the second echelon with plenty of youngsters with higher aspirations and other players who have competed at the top level in the past, but wish to be a little more relaxed about their participation.
B Grade in the Western Bay is the competitive social level of the game for players who want a game where friendship is as important as winning. However, that is not to say that teams don't go hard out for victory when on the pitch.
The last weekend in October saw the start of the B Grade Champions Cup where seven teams were chasing the elation of lifting aloft the silverware. For the second year in a row, Katikati had returned from the wilderness to field a team in the third division of local cricket.
As the saying goes, 'It was a long and winding road”, for the Katikati team to the semi-finals. Three losses in the opening three games suggested that the team from the extremities of the Western Bay were set to struggle – more so as they were the feeder team for the Katikati Reserves.
However, posting nearly 250 runs, when they defeated Greerton in late November, was the turning point in the team's fortunes. Sneaking into the semi-finals in fourth spot, they faced a huge challenge last Saturday when they met Grasshoppers – who took a season unbeaten record into the encounter.
In a absolute thriller Katikati got home by a couple of runs, with Hoppers needing three of the last ball of the day. Wanderers also caused an upset from their third qualifying position, to beat the more heavily favoured Mount Maunganui, to earn a place in the final stanza.
Previous games counted for nothing, as Katikati and Wanderers arrived at Ferguson Park on Sunday, to decide the 2009 Champions Cup.
Batting first Wanderers posted a relatively modest 106, mainly due to line and length bowling from their opponents. Dion Bartosh was the best of the Wanderers batting with 35, while Mick Millichip took 3/19 for Katikati.
While Katikati had just sneaked into the final, they made their intentions clear from the start anchored by a sterling half-century from Mathew Warren, with Katikati strolling to victory for the loss of just two wickets

While it was just a modest grassroots game of cricket – the outright joy and celebrations of the Katikati team showed that occasionally David does beat Goliath

Seeya at the game.