Englishman, Nafis Shaikh, will long remember the Bayleys Bay of Plenty Cup game between his team, Generation Homes Lake Taupo, and Craigs Investment Partners Tauranga Boys College played on Saturday, November 25 2023.

Lake Taupo batted first, with the young Derbyshire player coming in after his side lost their first wicket with 48 runs on the board. Nafis took control of the innings, to belt an unbeaten 103 from 112 balls including eleven 4’s. Taupo declared at 248/3, in the 55th over of the one-hundred over encounter.

The visitors to Nicholson Field, restricted Tauranga Boys to 164 for nine wickets to take home a winning draw. Taupo skippers, Habib Malik, grabbed five wickets with Bryn Robertson the best of the hosts batting with 34 runs.

Bond & Co Mount Maunganui, looked to be in control after bowling Eves Realty Greerton out for 126, at Blake Park. Harry Burns took out the Greerton top and middle order, with six wickets, at a cost of just 16 runs. Greerton number five Billy Syme, shone out like a beacon with 42 runs.

Mount Maunganui seemed to be headed to victory at 47/3. The Greerton bowlers then struck back, with the Mount needing six runs with two wickets in hand, entering the last over. Enter Tom MacRury, who took the last two wickets required for a come-from-behind victory, with one ball to spare.

Flying Mullet Te Puke stretched their lead at the top of the Bay of Plenty Cup standings, in securing a winning draw, over Sanford Wall Lawyers Central Indians. Te Puke were bowled out for 217 with Josh Earle top scoring with 62 runs. Jake Rowe and Andrew Gibbs took four wickets apiece for the combined team.

Central Indians just held on to finish on 119 for the loss of nine wickets, to deny Te Puke an outright victory. However, the Mount Maunganui loss to Greerton, propelled Te Puke to a 20 point lead on the points table.

Bayleys Bay of Plenty Cup – 25 November 2023

Generation Homes Lake Taupo 248/3dec (Nafis Shaikh 103no, Caleb Bate 75) defeated Craigs Investment Partners Tauranga Boys College 164/9 (Bryn Roberton 34, Habib Malik 5/44) Result -  winning draw

Eves Realty Greerton 126 (Billy Syme 42, Harry Burns 6/16, Tony Goodin 3/36) defeated Bond & Co Mount  Maunganui 125 (Jack Fitzgerald 3/17)  Result - outright victory

Flying Mullet Te Puke 217 (Josh Earle 63, Ben Vyver 40; Jake Rowe 4/42, Andrew Gibbs 4/50) defeated Sandford Wall Lawyers Central Indians 113/9 (Lovely Sandhu 32; Ben Vyver 4/11) Result – winning draw

Craigs Investment Partners Geyser City v Papamoa – not played due to wet pitch

Cadets the bye.

Points Table (Provisional) Te Puke 82, Geyser City 62, Mount Maunganui 53,  Central Indians 45, Lake Taupo 44, Greerton 43, Cadets 30, Papamoa 26, Tauranga Boys College 16.

The Craigs Investment Partners Bay of Plenty representative team provided new season coach, Jono Boult, with his first win, after a hard fought victory over Counties Manukau at the Bay Oval on Sunday (26 November 2023).

Coach Boult said after the game “It was a good win, with several of our young players stepping up to the plate to make valuable contributions. Tom MacRury’s big score at the top of the order, was the platform for our victory".

Bay of Plenty lost the toss and were asked to take first use of the Blake Park wicket. MacRury blasted 79 off just 54 balls as wickets tumbled at the other end. Tauranga Boys College player, Sebastian Heath, took over the challenge presented by the Counties bowlers. Heath hit a valuable 54 before being bowled by Rohit Kumar.

The Bay of Plenty tail wagged with Josh Earle (33) and Harry Burns (28) making solid contributions, as the hosts were bowled out for 235, in the forty-seventh over.

With Counties five down with 142 runs on the board - the match was evenly poised. The Bay bowlers then got amongst the Counties tailenders, to remove the visitors eight runs short of their target, with four balls to spare.

Ben Vyver was the best of the Bay of Plenty bowlers with three wickets for 33 runs. Opening bowlers, Craig Baldry and Josh Earle both took two wickets, with Joel Griffith on debut finishing with one wicket at a cost of five runs.

ND Brian Dunning Trophy (One-Day) @ Bay Oval, 26 November 2023

Craigs Investment Partners Bay of Plenty 238 (Tom MacRury 79, Sebastian Heath 54, Josh Earle 33. Harry Burns 28; Rohit Kumar 3/39) defeated Counties Manukau 228 (Ben Vyver 3/49, Josh Earle 2/19, Craig Baldry 2/33)