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

Arguably the best moments in the 81 years of Bay of Plenty Cricket history came at Galloway Park in Hamilton at the weekend when Bay of Plenty representatives again annexed the Hawke Cup.

While Bay of Plenty won the symbol of New Zealand Cricket Minor Association superiority on three previous occasions – it was the manner of the trouncing inflicted on the titleholders that will be remembered forever in Bay of Plenty cricket.

In the intervening years since Lord Hawke presented the prestigious trophy to New Zealand Cricket in 1910, the Bay team became the first side to post 700 runs (701 all out) in a Hawke Cup innings.

In comparison to total Bay's domination on the final two days - the opening day of the Hawke Cup Direct Challenge was almost boring by comparison, with Bay of Plenty removing Hamilton for 255. The Waikato sides top score of 60 told the tale of a number of Hamilton players getting starts without pushing on, in the best traditions of the Hawke Cup.

No one could have been prepared for the mayhem that Bay of Plenty batsmen would inflict on the Hamilton bowling attack as the Bay openers resumed at 24 without loss on the morning of day two.

First innings points came for the loss of a solitary wicket with Bharat Popli and Joe Carter in charge at the crease. While Popli fell at every batsman's nightmare, being dismissed for 99, his partner continued on in spectacular fashion.

Carter surged past the all time Bay of Plenty highest score of 181, set by Simon Winter in 1997, to blast 187 before being dismissed.

However he had little time to savour his feat as Brett Hampton went on to smash 194 runs a few hours later.

The procession of new Bay of Plenty milestones continued unabated. Several new Bay of Plenty partner ship records were forged during the three day fixture. Carter and Popli put on 208 for the second wicket, Carter and Hampton set new figures for the fifth wicket with 166, with Hampton combining with McCann for the sixth wicket to produce 144 runs.

At tea on day three, Hamilton waved the white flag of defeat and gave up the Hawke Cup without protest courtesy of a first innings thrashing.

However, it is one thing to win the Hawke Cup - with the next challenge being to defend the long-time trophy three times before hopefully locking it up in Bay of Plenty Cricket HQ for the winter.

On Auckland Anniversary Monday the Hawke Cup went on tour and a former Bay great was re-united with the prestigious piece of cricket silverware.

New Zealand cricket legend Lance Cairns, who was at the Tauranga Domain as part of the support team of the Counties Development side, was an integral member of the first Bay team to win the Hawke Cup.

While Lance played just 14 games for the Bay, due to New Zealand and Northern Districts commitments, he left an indelible reminder of his skills and talent in the Bay uniform. He took 12 wickets in just three Bay of Plenty Hawke Cup Direct Challenge matches and also played a big part in the first Hawke Cup victory.

The Bay line-up that lifted the Hawke Cup from Hawke's Bay in 1986, reads like a who's who of New Zealand and Northern Districts cricket during the mid-1980s. Playing alongside Lance were New Zealand representatives Andy Roberts, Bruce Blair and David White, along with Bay legends Mike Wright and Derek Beard, who are the Bays only cricket centurions.

Seeya at the Hawke Cup Direct Challenge at the Bay Oval.