Aquinas College are chasing their third Western Bay of Plenty First XI Cricket title in twelve months, when they meet Bethlehem College in the Term 4 title decider at Ferguson Park.

A year ago Aquinas won the 2013 First XI Term Four championship when they defeated Bethlehem College in a game of attrition – the same two sides meeting on Saturday.

Batting first Bethlehem College reached 141/7, before Aquinas College chased their opponents down to win with three wickets to spare.

In March of this year Aquinas, came from a six point deficit behind Bethlehem, to win the WBOPCA Schools Division One cricket title.

Entering the last round of the first past the post competition, the scenario was if Bethlehem defeated Aquinas they would win the first XI trophy – with Aquinas needing to beat their archrivals to finish on equal points and claim the title by way of who beat who in the round robin competition.

For the second successive schools title decider, Aquinas College prevailed when they posted 215/4 and then strangled the Bethlehem attempts to hit out restricting them to 142, for Aquinas to claim back to back schools cricket titles.

On Saturday the two WBOPCA First XI heavyweights go to battle again, with top qualifier Aquinas College squaring off with Bethlehem College, who finished in third in the round robin competition.

Last week Aquinas beat Tauranga Boys College Third XI, with Bethlehem proving too strong for Trident HS in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

WBOPCA First XI Finals Day December 13:

Term Four Championship: Aquinas College v Bethlehem College,

Third Place: Tauranga Boys College Third XI v Mount Maunganui Gold

WBOPCA First XI Results December 6:

Aquinas College 194 defeated TBC Third XI – 135

Bethlehem College 169 defeated Trident HS 110

Otumoetai College 134 (Nathan Wilson 23) lost to Mount Maunganui Gold 135/3 (Steven Whyte 51, Nathan Walker 50no)