WBOP cricket final flourish

Two Western Bay of Plenty Cricket championships will be fought out at Blake Park this weekend when the WBOPCA Reserve and B Grade title deciders take centre stage.

Top qualifier Sangha Raavi XI, contesting the Reserve Grade title decider for the first time, will take on Katikati. The Sangha first team made the running at the top of the standings throughout most of the season - eliminating defending champions Mount Maunganui in last weekend's semi-finals.

Katikati are also in good form coming from third in the standings, to beat Greerton by ten wickets in the other semi-final.

Motivation to win the silverware on offer, is unlikely to be a problem for Katikati, after having tasted defeat in the final stanza of the BOPCA McNaughton Trophy and WBOPCA Knockout Cup in recent weeks.

Both sides have master blasters in their ranks. Last Saturday Matt Earl smashed his third century of the current season, as he belted 136 not out against Greerton in the semi-finals.

Earl's third ton of the season took him to the top of the Reserve Grade batting tally with 597 runs. Finishing in second place was GS Gargan, who posted 465 runs since the Reserve Grade title race started in October 2013.

Two bowlers, who will engage in the Reserve title fight, finished in the top two places in the season bowling stakes.

Sangha Raavi leader Dev Sangha topped the leaderboard with 22 bowling scalps, with Bay of Plenty age group and Katikati player Brody Gilroy finishing just one wicket in arrears of the Sangha bowler.

The B Grade silverware is being contested by defending champions Grasshoppers and the 2012 titleholders Wanderers.

Hoppers batsmen Andy Balfour has been in fine touch and finished the regular season with 372 runs, with teammate Ben Goodall topping the bowling stakes with 20 wickets.

Wanderers all-rounder Lyndon Balmer is another B Grade player to shine with 266 runs and 16 wickets to his name during the season.

WBOPCA Finals March 29:

Reserve Grade Final

Sangha Raavi v Katikati, Blake Park2

B Grade Final

Wanderers v Grasshoppers, Blake Park3

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