It is a big weekend for the last four Williams Cup contenders with two teams having to back up the next day to find the second finalist to battle out the Baywide big prize.

The Williams Cup, along with the Attrill Cup, are the two oldest Bay of Plenty Cricket trophies with the former contested since the City Cricket Club from Rotorua lifted aloft the trophy in triumph in the 1932/33 season.

A new format introduced last season, rewards to the top two who enter the Williams Cup playoffs after the round robin competition.

Tomorrow, Rotorua Central will host Element IMF Cadets at Smallbone Park, with the winner receiving a direct path to the Williams Cup Grand Final, while the loser must back up the following day in the Preliminary Final.

Carrus Mount Maunganui and City Sports Bar Te Puke, who finished third and fourth respectively after the qualifying rounds, will square off at Blake Park with the victor progressing to Sunday's preliminary final.

Central and Cadets share the Baywide One-Day honours, with Cadets winning the Baywide Cup encounter, before Central came back with a nail biting one wicket win in the Williams Cup.

In the Baywide Cup match-up, the Rotorua side were removed for 149 with Johnny Barrow and Ross Pedley both reaching the forties, while Cadets Christian MacDonald grabbed a four wicket bag.

The Western Bay side cruised to a six wicket win led by Joe Carter with a match winning 68 with skipper Ben Christensen contributing 49 runs.

Just a few weeks ago, the Bay of Plenty Inter-City rivals met in the Williams Cup qualifying rounds, with Central winning an absolute thriller.

Batting on a home wicket at the Tauranga Domain, Cadets were removed for what looked to be a modest 113. However, the Rotorua visitors won an absolute dogfight, to take home the victory by a solitary wicket.

While the Baywide Cup game between Mount Maunganui and Te Puke was abandoned due to heavy rain on the day, wet weather also played a part in the Williams Cup meeting between the pair, with the match reduced to a 35 over affair.

Te Puke won the toss and put Mount Maunganui into bat. Mount skipper Peter Drysdale led from the front as his side posted 185/7, with a solid 54, with Ben Musgrave also in good touch adding 51 runs to his team's total. Ollie Smithson grabbed three wickets for the home side.

The Mount Maunganui bowling attack, strangled the Te Puke attempts to hit out, restricting the defending Williams Cup champions to 124/8.

Sam and Scott Tallott were the only Te Puke batsmen to reach the 20s with Dale Swan taking three wickets for the victors.

BOPCA Williams Cup Playoffs – 12pm

March 21 – semifinals

Game One: Central v Element IMF Cadets, Smallbone Park

Game Two: Carrus Mount Maunganui v City Sports Bar Te Puke, Blake1

March 22 - preliminary final

Loser of game one v winner of game two