Sideline Sid Sports correspondant & historian sunlive.co.nz

The balmy weather of Labour Weekend has put Sidline Sid in summer mode where cricket is the flavour of the moment – with the Steamers ups and downs put away until next year.

With two rounds of Baywide cricket to be fitted in the season, the local game actually got underway on the first Saturday in October. Next Saturday will bring the finale to the Western Bay one-day championship.

Mount Maunganui, which scooped most of the Baywide silverware last season, looked to be in the box seat, when they defeated the team that everyone likes to knock over – Cadets, two weeks ago.

However, Greerton put the cat amongst the pigeons last Saturday defeating the Mount. What made the win even sweeter for the side from the Tauranga suburbs was that it was at Mount headquarters at Blake Park.

The Greerton upset means that while there are three teams who have lost just one game entering the last round – Cadets which has a two point advantage courtesy of bonus points, will win the Baker Cup if they defeat East Bay United.

The first Saturday in November sees the start of the Baywide Premier championships. Over the years the long-time rivalry between the two Bay of Plenty cities, has continued to bubble away, with bragging rights as important as silverware.

There is little love lost when the teams from the Western Bay of Plenty go to battle with the sides from Sulphur City. In the Western Bay corner are Cadets, Mount Maunganui, Te Puke, Greerton and Tauranga Boys' College – with Central, Eastern Pirates, Rotorua Boys' High and newcomer Rotorua Indians flying the flag for Rotorua.

While Western Bay sides sometimes have an indifference to the inter-city rivalry – Central and Eastern Pirates hate to lose to their rivals from over the hill.

The Bay of Plenty rivalry is set to continue next Sunday at the second Coastland versus Lakeland senior representative fixture. While the game is part of the selection process, to pick a team to defend the Fergus Hickey Rosebowl in the ND regional championship, regional bragging rights will be on the line.

The Lakeland team is made up from the best premier club players in Rotorua and the Eastern Bay, while the Coastland side comes from the Western Bay of Plenty. To add to the rivalry, the Western Bay drew first blood in the inaugural contest last season, sneaking a narrow three wicket victory.

Sidline Sid couldn't write about cricket without having his tuppence worth about the Black Caps performance. While being beaten by Bangladesh is a bit like the All Blacks losing to Iceland there was one shining light.

Kane Williamson, who hails from the Bay of Plenty, showed his incredible potential smashing his first century for the Black Caps. Believe me when I say that in a decade Kane will be as well known and highly regarded as Chris Cairns, Martin Crowe and Stephen Fleming.

Seeya at the Game.