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

Cricket has certainly taken centre stage on the summer sporting scene with the Black Caps beating the current World Cup champions, the Bay Oval hosting 14 games in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2014 tournament and the Baywide Williams Cup in full swing.

Who would have imagined just a few short weeks ago the Black Caps would topple the number one-ranked One Day International nation and World Cup titleholders, with four victories and a remarkable tied match.

Cricket is a game where unpredictable results jump out when you least expect it. In 2001, Sideline Sid went to watch the Black Caps take on Pakistan at Seddon Park in Hamilton. Due to some work commitments, it was decided we'd arrive at the game in time to watch the start of the afternoon session after the lunch break, knowing Pakistan was batting first.

It was with utter amazement, on entering the ground, we saw the two New Zealand opening batsmen striding to the wicket. What had taken place in 26.5 overs of the opening session was cricket carnage of the highest order, with the Pakistan side dismissed for 104, with Darryl Tuffey and Chris Martin grabbing four wickets apiece.

New Zealand went on to score 407 with openers Mark Richard and Mathew Bell both blasting centuries – and Pakistan's humiliation continuing in their second turn at batting, being bundled out for 118. What made the win even more remarkable was the Black Caps entered the third and final test, one down in the series and needing to win to draw the series.

The ICC CWCQ14 wrapped up last weekend with Scotland and United Arab Emirates booking berths to return to New Zealand to play in the 2014 Cricket World Cup. The Bay Oval played a big part in the success of this tournament, hosting 14 games where such diverse cricket playing nations such as Uganda, Papua New Guinea and United Arab Emirates, squared off in cricket combat.

While CWCQ14 champions Scotland didn't visit the sunny Bay of Plenty, but we did see some of the early firepower of UAE when they played Uganda and the Netherlands in warm-up matches. The result of the Netherlands failing to qualify for the Super Six, saw the first ODI played at the Bay Oval, as both the Dutch and opponents Canada hold ICC ODI status. In order to comply with ICC rules, the Bay Oval was granted temporary ODI status to accommodate the play-off for seventh place. For the record, the Dutch cruised to an eight-wicket win.

In local Baywide cricket, the action heated up last weekend with Te Puke defeating arch rivals Cadets to remain the only unbeaten side in the race for the Williams Cup title. The Williams Cup is the oldest prize in Bay of Plenty Cricket, being first won by the City Cricket Club from Rotorua in the 1932-33 season.

However, the most pleasing part of the cricket season for Sideline Sid, is the Black Caps' current renaissance and the part the Bay of Plenty Cricket pathway has played in the development of some of the team.

Kane Williamson has gone from rising star to genuine world class batsmen, with his five successive half centuries against India, just one behind Andrew Jones New Zealand record of six. Trent Boult has taken 72 wickets in just 20 test matches, including a magical 10 wickets in a match haul.