Sideline Sid Sports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

Twenty20 cricket is set to take the Western Bay of Plenty by storm when the festive holiday crowds are at their peak in Mount Maunganui.

With the Northern Knights having chosen the BOP Cricket Oval as its Twenty20 home ground this season, the smash and bash of the HRV Cup games at Blake Park, is set to again attract the biggest crowds of the annual Twenty20 festival of cricket.

The HRV Cup Twenty20 visit to Bay Oval is a short sharp stay of four games in nine days.

On the last day of 2011, the Northern Knights face the Canterbury Wizards before back to back match-ups with the Wellington Firebirds and Central Districts Stags on January 4-5.

The final game at the oval is against the Auckland Aces on January 8.

The catalyst for the development of the BOP Cricket Oval was the Provincial One-Day games that were held at Blake Park from 1987 to 2002.

Held during the holiday season that always attracts a huge visitor influx, the Northern Districts home games would see crowds in their thousands flock to Blake Park.

Blake Park was then dropped by New Zealand Cricket as a One-Day venue because of its supposed sub-standard pitches in 2003.

However, the vision of a ground at Blake Park capable of hosting first class cricket in the region intensified

After several years of planning and protracted negotiations, the redevelopment of Blake Park commenced in 2005.

The new Bay Oval was designed with the intention of creating a village green type atmosphere.

The ground capacity would allow about 10,000 spectators the opportunity to see top class cricket in the Bay of Plenty.

The new Cricket Oval became a reality during 2007.

Local Black Cap star Kane Williamson took little time to show that the new wicket could produce a myriad of runs.

In just the third match on the new ground, Williamson, playing for the Bay of Plenty Under-19 team against Waikato Valley, was in majestic form smashing 131 runs on the brand new wicket block.

One of the real attractions of the HRV Cup is that all the stars of the game come out to play.

With the winner of the New Zealand competition winning a berth at the lucrative IPL tournament – the major cricket associations have gone outside the country to bolster their playing ranks.

Last season, local fans were entranced with South African super star Hercelle Gibbs and Australians David Hussey and David Warner, who made guest appearances for the Knights.

This season, it is likely to be the homegrown Bay of Plenty Knights team members who will take centre stage at the Bay Oval.

While Kane Williamson has had a dramatic career (so far) in first class cricket, he will be keen to get his first Twenty20 century, on home territory.

Other Northern Knights who learnt their craft in Bay of Plenty age group cricket are Trent Boult, Daniel Flynn and Graeme Aldridge.

The big Bay connection with the Knights, is likely to have a myriad of family and friends on hand at the Bay Oval, when the ND side comes to town.

Seeya at a Twenty20 Game