The 2011/2012 one day cricket season will come to a close today when the coveted silverware – the Williams Cup – final is held at the Plenty Cricket Oval at Blake Park in Mount Maunganui.

The time-honoured Baywide trophy, which was first contested in the 1932/33 season, is awarded to the winner of the Baywide Championship.

The Williams Cup is the major prize in a trifecta of Baywide trophies, which also include the BOP Cup and the Hart Family Trophy awarded to the Baywide champion of champions.

This year's Williams Cup, will be fought by two teams who have contrasting records in the long-time Baywide competition, when Element IMF Cadets go to battle with Eves Realty Greerton.

Cadets have become the benchmark in the Williams Cup competition since annexing the trophy for the first time in the 1994/95 season. The Tauranga Domain based side had a vice like grip on the Baywide trophy, adding the Williams Cup to their trophy cabinet on four further successive occasions after their initial success.

Four further victories in the intervening years mean the Cadets are chasing their tenth Williams Cup victory in this weekends encounter. While Greerton won back to back Williams Cup titles shortly after the Club was re-established three decades ago, it is 27 years since they lifted the Baywide prize aloft in victory.

Both finalists had real battles in the post section round to book a berth in the Williams Cup title decider.

Greerton caused a major upset when they eliminated defending champions Mount Maunganui. Batting first the visitors to Blake Park posted a relatively modest 194/5. Ben Williams was a beacon at one end posting a defiant 81 runs. However three Greerton run outs contributed to Mount Maunganui being dismissed for 184 to hand Greerton a finals berth.

Cadets had a battle of attrition with Tauranga Boys' College at the Tauranga Domain. Led by a brace of sixties from Jono Boult and Matthew Drake, Cadets posted 214/9. Cadets skipper Jono Boult then backed up his batting performance taking four wickets as Tauranga Boys were removed for 145.

Williams Cup Final 24 March 2012 – BOP Cricket Oval Mount Maunganui

Element IMF Cadets v Eves Realty Greerton.