Four-time Williams Cup winners Carrus Mount Maunganui have laid down the gauntlet to this season contenders.

During the opening round of the Williams Cup last weekend the Mount team posted a big total, with opening pair of Brendon Thompson and Nick Smith blasting a 160 run partnership in their side's 280/6 turn at bat against Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College.

This Saturday will see a replay of last season's Williams Cup Final where New World Te Puke squeezed past Mount Maunganui, in a rain affected 2016 title decider.

Te Puke have a good mix of experience and youth in their team. Leading the experience ranks is Tai Bridgeman-Raison who's been in the Te Puke batting line-up for over a decade. The hard hitting batsman, has his sights on owning outright the numbers of centuries for his club, which he presently shares with the late Andy Roberts.

Element IMF Cadets, who also made a winnings start to their 2017 Williams Cup campaign, will meet Tauranga Boys College at the students temporary home at Blake Park three.

Cadets have an extremely strong batting line-up, with two of their batsmen finishing in the top five of the Baywide Cup batting stakes. Donavan Deeble, who had highest score of 151 not out finished in second place with 274 runs, while Morton Freer locked down fourth position with 249 runs.

But Tauranga Boys have two young bowlers that could counter the vaunted Cadets batting attack.

Sean Wakelin took 16 Baywide Cup wickets to finish third in the most wickets race behind Mount Maunganui's Dale Swan and Nick Smith. Another Tauranga Boys bowler to impress in the first half of the season, was Rhys Mischewski with best Baywide Cup figures of five wickets for 19 runs.

Bayleys Central Indians caused an upset last weekend when they lowered the colours of defending Williams Cup champions Te Puke.

While they finished at the bottom of the Baywide Cup standings, the addition of a couple of talented youngsters turned the Rotorua side sides fortunes around last weekend.

Eve's Realty Greerton, who pay a visit to Rotorua this Saturday, could feel the wrath of a revitalized Central Indians side.

The Western Bay team have had a roller coaster 2017/17 season, however they have plenty of firepower with both bat and ball, which could produce a battle of attrition at Smallbone Park.

BOPCA WILLIAMS CUP DRAW - JANUARY 14:

• Bayleys Central Indians v Eves Realty Greerton, Smallbone Park;
• Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College v Element IMF Cadets, Blake3
• New World Te Puke v Carrus Mount Maunganui, Te Puke Domain

WILLIAMS CUP POINTS TABLE:

• Carrus Mount Maunganui 6
• Bayleys Central Indians 6
• Element IMF Cadets 6
• Cooney Lees Morgan Tauranga Boys College 0
• New World Te Puke 0
• Eves Realty Greerton 0