A battling century from Element IMF Cadets batsman Scott Steward took his team to victory in the BOP Cup match against Tauranga Boys College yesterday.

Craig Bud from Eves Realty Greerton

Taking first use of the pitch on their home ground, Tauranga Boys reached 187/7. Tom MacRury top scored with a gritty 40, with Cameron Neal also making a handy contribution of 37 runs.

Chasing a gettable target Cadets were in immediate trouble, when the top order was dismissed cheaply, with the scoreboard showing 24/3. Enter Scott Steward and Matthew Drake who dug in to take their team to victory.

The middle order pair put together an unbeaten partnership of 162. Steward took charge to post an undefeated 107 runs, with Drake still there at the end on 41 not out.

The game in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, between home side East Bay United and BOP Indians, firmly belonged to the bowlers. Batting first the Bay Indian side were removed for a paltry 50 runs.

East Bay skipper Dean Butterworth grabbed three wickets at a cost of just six runs, with James Mitchell and Paul Inglis taking two wickets apiece.

However with the ball swinging both ways in the air, the Indian bowlers took full advantage to dismiss East Bay United for 49, to grab what had earlier seemed like an improbable victory.

The Dhanjee brother reigned supreme, with Prashant taking 4/17 while Jayvant returned figures of 3/15. The Rotorua team, who failed to win a Baywide first round game, now find themselves heading the BOP Cup point's ledger with Baywide heavyweight Cadets.

Platinum Pacific Reclad Mount Maunganui, had little trouble defeating Rotorua Boys High at Blake Park. Led by pace bowler Tony Goodin who finished the match with 6/26, Mount Maunganui had the Rotorua students all out for 86. Peter Drysdale 38no and Hayden Byrne 34no, took little time to put the winning runs on the board, to take their team to a nine wicket win.

Kurt MacCarthy from Eves Realty Greerton.

The four game winning streak of Ultimate Motor Group Te Puke came to an end, when they were comprehensively defeated by Dawson Insurance Eastern Pirates. After bowling Te Puke out for 105, the home side strolled to victory for the loss of three wickets.

Eves Realty Greerton was made to fight for the win points after dismissing iTCo Central for only 118. A fighting knock from Kurt McCarthy who top scored with 32 runs, resulted in Greerton posting a three-wicket win.

Bay of Plenty Cricket Results 5 February 2011

BOP Cup

Rotorua BHS 86 (Shayde Perham 30; Tony Goodin 6/26, Dale Swan 3/11) lost to Platinum Pacific Reclad Mount Maunganui 89/1 (Peter Drysdale 38no, Hayden Byrne 34no)

Tauranga Boys College 184/7 (Tom MacRury 40, Cameron Neal 37, Matthew Drake 2/22, Jono Boult 2/27) lost to Element IMF Cadets 186/3 (Scott Steward 107no, M Drake 41no)

Ultimate Motor Group Te Puke 105 (Laxman Popli 29no, J Martin 2/20, Harry Panya 2/20 Rob Flaherty 2/22) lost to Dawson Insurance Eastern Pirates 106/3 (Jared Christoffersen 36no, James MacMillan 36, Julian Danby 24, Luke Erikson 2/25)

iTCo Central 118 (Cameron Payne 24, P Wood 22; Murray Jarvis 4/35, Shaun Sievwright 2/25) lost to Eves Realty Greerton 122/7 (Kurt McCarthy 32, Tavita Levao 25no, Craig Budd 22; Matt McLaughlin 3/30, Andrew Gibbs 2/43)

BOP Indians 50 (50 (Dean Butterworth 3/6, James Mitchell 2/14, Paul Inglis 2/17) defeated East Bay United 49 (Prashant Dhanjee 4/17, Jayvant Dhanjee 3/15)

BOP Cup Points Table

BOP Indians 40, Cadets 40, Greerton 29, Central 25, Te Puke 22, Mount Maunganui 20, Eastern Pirates 20, Tauranga Boys College 13, Rotorua BHS 6, East Bay United 6.