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

There was unbridled joy and even a few tears on display at Smallbone Park in Rotorua last Sunday, after the Bay of Plenty representative cricket side wrote their own piece of Bay of Plenty Cricket history.

The Bay boys achieved a unique treble winning all the available silverware on offer to the Bay of Plenty first eleven.

The Bay first eleven finished the current season with the NZ Cricket Minor Association prize of the Hawke Cup, as well as annexing the two ND trophies, of the Fergus Hickey Rosebowl and Brian Dunning Trophy.

The Bay team is not a side full of professional cricket players with all the accompanying histrionics, but a team of amateurs who play the game for enjoyment and comradeship.

However the last six months have seen the Bay players, coaches and management, approach the task of annexing the three trophies on offer in a true professional manner.

Sideline Sid believes that while the Plunket Shield is the Ranfurly Shield of cricket - the Hawke Cup is the equivalent of the Heartland championship in rugby.

Regular trainings are held after work commitments, with the team receiving no recompense for the many lost hours during the season.

The Bay success has been built upon two foundations, of a dedicated coach and a team that would almost lay down their lives for each other. There has been a seamless transition from highly successful team mentor James Pamment, who took previous first elevens to three Fergus Hickey prizes in four seasons, to current coach Ben Williams.

While still a relative youngster in the minor association coaching ranks, Ben has served an extensive apprenticeship. Over fifty games for Bay of Plenty and a couple of seasons with Northern Districts A complemented a rise through the coaching ranks.

Player/coach roles during the New Zealand winter in England and later Holland, became the catalyst for his coaching career.

Earlier success with Bay of Plenty and ND age group sides, resulted in Ben been given the role of James Pamment's assistant last season. This year he has picked up the reigns with spectacular success.

The three trophies have been won on the back of a myriad of records and outstanding performances. The Bay team smashed the record number of runs in a single Hawke Cup innings since the Cup was presented in 1910 – when they blasted 701 runs as they grabbed the long time minor association trophy from Hamilton back in January.

All sorts of all time Bay of Plenty records have fallen this season, with none more remarkable than two players smashing the all time highest score in the space of just a few hours.

Opening batsmen Joe Carter anchored the Bay victory when the team snatched the Hawke Cup, when he sailed past Simon Winters previous record of 181, with Carter smashing his way to 187. Not to be outdone, Bay master blaster Brett Hampton ensured that Joe's record would last just a couple of hours with a magnificent knock of 194.

During the 13 games of the season, Carter and Bharat Popli have been locked in a titanic battle for the most runs in the season. Joe sneaked past his rival last weekend, to finish on a remarkable 779 runs, with Bharat also smashing the all time season record with 733 runs to his name.

Bay of Plenty quick bowler Tony Goodin, also wrote his own piece of Bay of Plenty Cricket History, when he obliterated Jono Boult's record of 33 set last season. His 44 wickets not only set another all time record but also played a huge part in the Bay victories during the season.

While Bay of Plenty will lock the three pieces of prestigious cricket silverware away in their trophy cabinet for the winter – the real trick will be to retain all three trophies next year.

Seeya at the Game.