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

This edition of Sideline Sid's blog was supposed to begin focus on the Western Bay club rugby season, but the Northern Knights has won and is through to the NZ Cricket Ford Trophy Final, which will be played at the Bay Oval this Saturday.

So cricket takes centre stage for the old fella for another week.

In a few short years, the Bay of Oval has gone from a vacant grass area to an international cricket venue. Construction on New Zealand's latest international cricket venue kicked off in 2005, with the vision of a number of committed Bay of Plenty Cricket supporters being achieved when 14 games held in January at the venue in the Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2014.

The ground and its unique pavilion are the result of Bay of Plenty Cricket taking charge of its own destiny and constructing a top class cricket facility.

The catalyst for the Bay Oval occurred when first class cricket was lost from Blake Park in 2001. Bay of Plenty Cricket recognised it was essential to the profile of cricket top level games returned to Blake Park. There was an opportunity to look ahead 50 years and to grasp the potential of what the ground could become to the Western Bay of Plenty and New Zealand.

Set against the backdrop of Mount Maunganui, the Bay Oval is an internationally-sized, purpose-built ground. It boasts 70m boundaries, enclosed by a white picket fence, and is surrounded by grass embankments with seating for up to 15,000 people.

However, the real benefit of the free-draining soil at Blake Park is the nearly 12 months' use of the 18 grass strip practice facilities and the Bay Oval for winter training matches.

In the last two years, New Zealand representatives at the League Champions League have prepared at the Bay Oval in pre-season training. It seems no coincidence Auckland and Otago became the only two New Zealand teams to get past the preliminary stages after preparing at the Bay Oval.

The Western Bay cricket ground has also supported community events, hosting a free community Christmas concert, the 2011 Cancer Society Relay for Life, and was home base for the 2013 AIMS Games.

Not only will it be a chance to watch top-class cricket on the weekend, but an opportunity to see a number of Bay of Plenty players in action for the Northern Knights.

Northern Knights skipper Daniel Flynn along with Graeme Aldridge, Jono Boult, Joe Carter, Brett Hampton and Bharat Popli, and the Bays Black Caps of Kane Williamson, Trent Boult and Cory Anderson, have all worn the Knights strip this season.

One Bay of Plenty player who has enjoyed a stunning season is Joe Carter. The top order batsman set a new Bay of Plenty record score when he blasted 215 not out against Poverty Bay in a Fergus Hickey Rosebowl match last month. Playing for the Northern Knights, Joe has broke the New Zealand first-class debut season record, smashing 674 runs for the Knights by surging past Greg Hay, from Central District, who posted 593 runs in the 2006/2007 season.

The Northern Knights opponents in the Ford Trophy Final will be decided today, when top qualifier Canterbury Wizards take on the Wellington Firebirds for the second berth in the Ford Trophy title decider.