The Baywide T20 formbook was thrown out the window at Ferguson Park in Tauranga on Saturday, with a series of major upsets where the bottom three teams upset their more favoured opponents.

Photo: file.

With just one round of qualifying play next weekend before the 2015 Baywide T20 title is decided, five teams have a theoretical chance of making the T20 Final.

Three upsets took centre stage in the early afternoon round. City Sports Bar Te Puke batted first against Bay of Plenty Indians and were removed by the opposition bowlers for 121. Tai Bridgman-Raison top scored with 34, while Liam Kelly grabbed three wickets for 18 runs. The Rotorua side, who hadn't posted a win in any of the three Baywide competitions this season, were in good shape at 3/77 and held on for a three-wicket victory. Bipul Das posted a match winning 48 for the victors.

Current Baywide champions Carrus Mount Maunganui were handed defeat by Tauranga Boys' College, who hadn't mustered a win in the first four rounds of the T20 title race. The Mount team were restricted to 128/8 with Nick Smith top scoring with 43, while Harris Williams returned 3/18. Led by Tauranga Boys' mentor Mark Orchard with a crisp 57, the students got home when Tom Wakelin hit a six of the last ball of the game.

Whakatane United were the third side to post their first T20 win, defeating Eves Realty Greerton. Whakatane bowled first dismissing Greerton for 154/7 then cantered to solid six wicket win, courtesy of a half century to Alex Yates. Cadets provided Central with the first loss of the T20 competition reaching 136 all out before restricting the Rotorua side to 112/8.

In the late afternoon round match-ups the Element IMF Cadets verses Greerton game was an absolute thriller, with the two teams being unable to be separated both reached 137. The encounter then went to a one over per side bowl off, with Cadets taking out the match courtesy of winning the decider.

Whakatane United won their second successive game, defeating BOP Indians in another match that went down to the wire. The Eastern Bay side posted 148/4, with Alex Yates again top scoring with 39 runs. The BOP Indians made a brave charge for victory coming up just seven runs short.

Tauranga Boys' College also won two on the day when they posted 125/8 and restricted Central to 111/7. Mount Maunganui joined Cadets in a share of the lead on the point's ladder when they defeated Te Puke.

Bay of Plenty cricket February 21, 2015 – Baywide T20

Round Five

City Sports Bar Te Puke 121 (T Bridgman-Raison 34, J Dwight 24; L Kelly 3/18) lost to BOP Indians 122/7 (B Das 48, Y Irani 23; G Bishell 2/16)

Eves Realty Greerton 154/7 (S Wineti 36, T Clout 22; J Whiteman 3/22) lost to Whakatane United 157/3 (A Yates 59, D Brent 44, J Barrett 39)

Element IMF Cadets 136 (S Davey 60, T Sole 26) defeated Central 112/8 (C MacDonald 2/26)

Carrus Mount Maunganui 128/8 (N Smith 43, D Swan 33; H Williams 3/18) lost to Tauranga Boys' College 130/7 (M Orchard 57, D Clarke 26; D Hill 2/27)

Round Six

Eves Realty Greerton 137/8 (C Williams 50, S Wineti 23; J Evemy 4/18, T Boorman 2/18) tied with Element IMF Cadets 137/4 (S Davey 57, J Gaylor 21; M Jarvis 228) Cadets won 4-2 in a one over per team bowl-off.

Tauranga Boys' College 125/8 (G Wallace 37, S Wakelin 34, C Taylor 20; V Blanchard 3/29, B Watkinson 2/11) defeated Central 111/7 (T Afridi 51, K Blanchard 36; T Wakelin 2/19, M Orchard 2/21

Whakatane United 148/7 (A Yates 39, T Yates 30; L Kelly 3/16, R Gosai 3/18) defeated BOP Indians 141(J Dhanjee 27, Y Irani 24; B Sayliss 3/29, B Sharma 2/24)

Carrus Mount Maunganui defeated City Sports Bar Te Puke

Points Table (Provisional)

Mount Maunganui 8, Cadets 8, Central 7, Whakatane United 6, Tauranga Boys' College 6, Greerton 5, Te Puke 4, BOP Indians 4.