The last game of the Bay of Plenty cricket season should produce an absolute thriller at the Bay Oval, when Element IMF Cadets meet Carrus Mount Maunganui to decide the winner of the 2017 Williams Cup competition.

Both Western Bay Clubs have a proud history in the Williams Cup in recent decades.

Cadets have won the Baywide big prize on nine occasions since their first victory in 1995. However the Tauranga Domain-based side hasn't annexed the long-time trophy since 2010. Mount Maunganui has had their name engraved on the Williams Cup on five occasions, with four of those victories coming in the last ten years.

The two Williams Cup final contestants this weekend finished in the top two of the qualifying competition with Cadets defeating Mount Maunganui in the major semi-final last Saturday, to grab a direct berth to the title decider. Mount Maunganui secured their place in the final, after beating defending Williams Cup titleholders Te Puke in the preliminary final last Sunday.

With the Bay of Plenty representative competition completed, both teams will be at full strength at the Bay Oval season finale. During the absence of the rep players, a number of club stalwarts have kept their teams momentum on fire.

Cadets batsman Morton Freer has been in sterling touch to finish in third place in the Williams Cup batting stakes, with 311 runs. Brenton Thompson and long-time Mount Maunganui all-rounder Nick Smith have led the way with the willow for their side and both sit in prominent positions in the Baywide scoring.

Two previous Bay of Plenty representative players, Ben Christensen and Scott Steward, will headline the Cadets bowling line-up at the Bay Oval. The pair occupies the first two spots on the Williams Cup bowling stakes, with Christensen having season best figures of six wickets at a cost of just 13 runs. One of the most improved young bowlers in Baywide cricket this season is Mount's Kyle Dovey, who has 13 wickets to his name.

Williams Cup Final

Element IMF Cadets v Carrus Mount Maunganui

Williams Cup Champions (2000 – 2016)

2016 Te Puke

2015 Mount Maunganui

2014 Te Puke

2013 Mount Maunganui

2012 Greerton

2011 Mount Maunganui

2010 Cadets

2009 Tauranga Boys' College

2008 Mount Maunganui

2007 Rotorua Central

2006 Cadets

2005 Cadets

2004 Te Puke

2003 Cadets

2002 Albion

2001 Te Puke

2000 AC United