The race to the BOP Cup cricket championship is wide open with seven of the nine teams still in contention for the first past the post title.

Element IMF Cadets, which grabbed the lead last week, face a classic Bay of Plenty inter-city battle against iTCo Central at Boord Park this weekend in Rotorua.

The Rotorua match-up should see a real battle between bat and ball.

The Western Bay team has a strong batting line-up with Cadets skipper Jono Boult posting an impressive average of 43.75 runs per game this season.

Joe Carter and Ben Christensen also sit in the BOP Cup top 10 and both have been eying a big score in recent weeks.

Former Bay representatives Matt McLaughlin and Andrew Gibbs spearhead a strong Central bowling attack.

Two weeks ago Gibbs provided evidence of his firepower taking a hat trick against Te Puke.

Defending BOP Cup champions Platinum Pacific Reclad Mount Maunganui, face a replay of the 2011 Williams Cup final, when they meet Tauranga Boys' College at Tauranga Boys' headquarters.

While Mount Maunganui annexed the symbol of Baywide cricket superiority earlier this year – the two sides go into the encounter with the batting and bowling stars from round five.

Mount Maunganui master blaster Peter Drysdale smashed an undefeated 140 against BOP Indians at Blake Park, with Josh Dwight taking the first six-wicket bag of the 2011 BOP Cup against Cadets.

The quite achiever in the title chase, has been East Bay United who sits in fourth place on the competition standings. A visit to Pemberton Park in the Western Bay of Plenty to play Eves Realty Greerton, should decide if the Eastern Bay side are serious title contenders.

Both sides have power-hitting batsmen in their ranks, and the road outside Pemberton Park could be under siege on the weekend.

Former Bay representative James Mitchell, who has two rep centuries to his name, has made a dramatic return to form with a highest score of 95 this season.

Greerton all rounder Brett Hampton is another that likes to put bat to ball in spectacular fashion.

Te Puke will want to continue their move up the points ladder, when they host Rotorua Boys High School at the Te Puke Domain.

BOP Cup Cricket Draw November 19

Eves Realty Greerton v East Bay United, Pemberton Park; Te Puke v Rotorua BHS, Te Puke Domain; Central v Element IMF Cadets, Boord Park; Tauranga Boys' College v Platinum Pacific Reclad Mount Maunganui, Nicholson Field; BOP Indians the bye.