February and March are looking to be extra busy for Bay of Plenty Cricket.

In addition to Baywide Club and Representative cricket, two additional Baywide competitions will take place.

Entries close on February 6 for the Baywide Over 35 competition and the McNaughton Trophy which is the symbol of Bay of Plenty Reserve Grade supremacy.

Last season, more than 35 teams from Opotiki, Whakatane and Rotorua joined Western Bay sides, to play in a competition played every second Sunday through February and March.

Such was the success of last year's competition, that an Eastern Bay of Plenty team put their name forward before entries had officially opened. There is plenty of interest being shown by Western Bay clubs with former players dusting the cobwebs of their boots and digging out bats from garages.

The origins of the Baywide Reserve Grade prize, come from the donation by the McNaughton Family in Te Puke, of a trophy for competition between second tier teams from the Tauranga and Te Puke sub-associations.

A number of years ago, the competition was expanded to include all Reserve and B Grade sides in Bay of Plenty cricket and is effectively the Baywide Reserve Grade Championship.

In the last decade, there have been some absolute nailbiters in the title deciders before the McNaughton prize was decided, with last year's final stanza no exception.

The Mount Maunganui Second XI took first use of the batting strip on Blake Park one and reached 194/7, in their forty overs against Katikati. Blair McKenzie anchored his teams turn at bat with a solid 64, with Joel Thompson posting a more than handy 41 runs.

Katikati went out to bat full of enthusiasm and at the drinks break at the half way stage of the encounter, were in a solid position at 68 for the loss of a solitary wicket. Former Thames Valley rep all-rounder Matt Earl was a rock at one end and posted a rock solid 80 runs before he was dismissed.

However, in the second half of the Katikati innings, the Mount bowlers strangled the opposition attempts to hit out.

The game went down to the wire with the game finishing with Katikati just five runs short of victory, with five wickets still in hand. The Mount Maunganui and Katikati Reserve sides have set some sort of record - having fought out the last four McNaughton Trophy Finals.

McNaughton Trophy Champions

2014 (Mount Maunganui) 2013 (Katikati) 2012 (Mount Maunganui) 2011 (Mount Maunganui) 2010 (Katikati) 2009 (Otumoetai Cadets) 2008 (Rotorua Central) 2007 (Mount Maunganui) 2006 (Greerton) 2005 (Otumoetai Cadets) 2004 (Otumoetai Cadets)