By Lachlan Mitchell
VSDCA
Endeavour Hills hosted St. Bernards OC at home on Saturday afternoon.
St. Bernards won the toss and elected to bat, with openers Rory Collins and Tristan Kassis looking to capitalise on what seemed to be a batter friendly wicket at Sydney Pargeter Reserve.
Kassis quickly found himself heading back to the sheds after he had his off-stump dismantled by Sasith Wijebandara for 5.
Jordan Mills (11) was quickly Wijebandara’s second victim of the afternoon. Chris Spinella (3) tried his best to boost his teams total but quickly found himself heading back to the pavilion after seeing his stumps cartwheel.
Endeavour Hills captain Tilakarathna Dilshan was quickly injected into the action and dismissed Daniel O’Connell for 13.
Conor McGuire and Rory Collins put on a 69-run partnership to help guide their score to 7/172 after their 45 overs.
Sasith Wijebandara has continued to make his presence felt after making the jump into first-XI cricket. The quick finished with 3/30.
Endeavour Hills opener Tyrell Panditharatne was then dismissed for a dismal platinum duck, caught at first slip off the bowling of Aaron Smillie on the very first ball of the innings.
The day got worse for Endeavour Hills when it appeared Dilshan was given out caught behind to a ball he got nowhere near.
Dilshan and everyone at the ground seemed perplexed at the decision.
Boom-recruit Akshay Ballal (35) and Susantha Pradeep (36) put on a brave 50-run partnership through the middle order to try and regain some momentum.
Ballal was then dismissed after a LBW appeal was controversially given out.
The wheels continued to loosen for the Eagles.
Endeavour Hills continued to lose wickets and found itself 28 runs short of the target.
The loss sees Endeavour Hills plays a John Hastings-led Kew away from home, in what many thought would be the grand final clash.
WDCA
The seasons of Hallora (1st) and Ellinbank (2nd) gave the opportunity for a second chance with the regular season’s top two awarded that privilege.
Finishing on-top Hallora hosted Ellinbank.
The Kangaroos won the toss and looked in control thanks to Fraser Duncan (42).
But Hallora’s day went from black to grey, when Jeremy Gray broke the visitor’s hearts taking 6/39 in a destructive performance.
Ellinbank looked to be in trouble in the chase losing 3/37, before Sean Masterson got his season back on-track after failing to capitalise against Yarragon last week.
Masterson’s hugely-valuable 45 helped his side over the line in the last over with one wicket in hand.
The win sees Ellinbank book a spot straight into a grand final.
Hallora then had to wait for Sunday’s preliminary final, where it would face the winner of the semi-final between Western Park (3) and Neerim District (4).
Western Park won the toss and sent the visitors into bat.
Neerim posted 151 which included a Daniel Sheehan 43. The Stags falling victim to Leigh Diston who picked up 2/19 after his four overs.
Dane Fawcett was hard to turn off when he dismissed both Warriors openers leaving the score 2/38.
The wickets brought Sam Batson (62) to the crease, with Batson helping his side chase down the meagre total with six wickets to spare.
Western Park’s joy quickly turned to tears on Sunday after they were on the receiving end of a fired up Hallora batting line-up.
Hallora opener Damon Healy (67) finding his feet at the right time of the season.
Healy and co paid tribute to the late great Richie Benaud – finishing on 4/222 after 40 overs.
Western Park started strongly but quickly lost their way through the middle overs.
Grant Duncan and Natsai M’Shangwe doing the bulk of work picking up three wickets each.
The Warriors collapsed through the middle overs falling to 5/24 and losing all hope of reaching the 222 total.
Hallora have had to go the long way round, but will face Ellinbank next week as one verse two will play off for premiership glory.
