RECORD NUMBERS TO PLAY IN CLASSIC BUILDERS RESERVE & B GRADE COMPETITIONS

The 2021/22 Western Bay of Plenty Cricket season, will kick off with a record number of 27 teams, taking part in the Classic Builders Reserve and B Grade competitions. Two quick fire T20 competitions spread over the first two weekends of the new season (16th & 23/24 October 2021), will open Western Bay cricket hostilities.

There has been a seventy per cent increase in senior team numbers, since the amalgamation of local cricket sub-associations to form the Western Bay of Plenty Cricket Association a decade ago. Western Bay of Plenty Cricket secondary school and junior cricket numbers have also experienced similar growth.

Western Bay Cricket senior entries will see 11 teams fight out the Reserve Grade competition trophies, while a record 16 B Grades sides will split into two pools of eight teams, to qualify for the championship and plate title deciders.

The Reserve Grade competitions will see a lot of familiar faces with ten of last season sides backing up in the new season. Katikati Cricket Club, who can trace their origins back to the 19th Century, have returned to Reserve Grade cricket and will play their home games on the new grass wicket at Moore Park.

The B Grade competition has expanded by four sides. Te Puke and Greerton, has rejoined the B Grade competition after a few seasons in the wilderness, with Te Puke entering two teams of Indian ethnicity under the Green and Gold banner. New recruits in the Bay Blasters and Katikati Singh XI, will also draw on the Western Bay of Plenty Indian community for players.

Sikh Sports (now known as United Indians) won the last seasons Reserve Grade championship final, when their opponents were disqualified for breaching a match-day rule. They also picked up the First Round trophy to take out the Western Bay Reserve Grade top billing.

The B Grade championship final, between the Hawks 2nd XI and Papamoa Wanderers, was dominated by a blistering bowling attack in the second innings of the game. Hawks batted first and were removed for what looked to be a modest 120 runs. Harry Singh top scored with a hard fought 42, while Wanderers Chris Uden and Sarn Lee grabbed three wickets apiece.

Devastation ruled the second turn at bat with the Wanderers bundled out for 39. The Papamoa sides top score of 11 told the tale of the Hawks bowlers domination. Rana Virk, returned the remarkable bowling figures of four wickets at a cost of just 4 runs, with Gopi Singh also grabbing a four wicket bag.

Ten Reserve Grade contenders, will gather at the Gordon Spratt Reserve on Saturday 16th October to go into battle, in the Classic Builders T20 title race. United Indians will chase of their cobwebs in pursuit of further Western Bay silverware, went they square off with Katikati in their opening stanza in pool two.

Other T20 round one encounters see R&A Sangha meet Tauranga Boys College, Papamoa taking on Cadets, Te Puke verses Hawks, while Mount Maunganui and Greerton ready for late afternoon action after sitting out the first round bye.

Classic Builders B Grade T20 contenders will meet at Fergusson and Waipuna Parks to open their 2021/22 season assignments. Pool One at Fergusson Park, matches Mount Maunganui against Bay Blasters and PapaOMA'S taking on Hawks, with Albion drawing the first round bye.

Waipuna Park will welcome, Katikati Singh XI verses Cadets, Te Puke will go into battle with Tauranga Boys College, with R&A Sangha second eleven drawing the first-up bye.

WBOPCA 2021/22 Entries

Classic Builders Reserve Grade: Aquinas College, Tauranga Boys College 2nd XI, United Indians, Katikati, Te Puke, Papamoa, Hawks, Sangha Raavi XI, Cadets, Greerton, Mount Maunganui.

Classic Builders B Grade: TBC 3rd XI, TBC  4th XI, Katikati, Te Puke Blue, Te Puke Green, Katikati Singh XI, PapaOMA’s, Albion, Grasshoppers, Sangha Anna XI, Cadets, Bay Blasters, Hawks, Greerton, Mount Maunganui, Mount Maunganui Inanga. 

For Further Information Contact

Don Warner   Cricket Manager WBOP Cricket Association       021 307 081