by Samuel Laffy
Jindivick (131) def. by Catani (2/136)
Although they finished the season near the foot of the division five table, Catani nonetheless finished off the summer on a high, defeating Jindivick by eight wickets.

The Jumping Jacks posted a reasonable target of 131 for the Cats to chase – with the likes of Matt Coleman (2/3 from 5) and Archie Purvis (0/7 off 6) effectively reducing the Jindivick run rate, and it took Catani just 24 overs in which to reach victory. Jackson Peacock (25*) and Duane Peacock (22) made handy contributions following an energetic opening partnership that helped propel the Cats' chase.
Ellinbank (2/145) def. Warragul (6/140)
Ellinbank warmed up for finals with another dominant performance, this time taking out an eight-wicket win over Warragul on the back of some excellent batting from their top order.
Jaxon Notman (4/11 from 8), Philip Conley (0/8 off 6), and Ryan Bosch (1/30) all delivered tremendous spells with ball in hand, and they helped to restrict the Gulls to 6/140 from their 40 overs, a total that proved well below par on the small confines of Lardner Recreation Reserve.
Brayden Rintoule (43), Archie Martel (52*), and Cam Smith (a swashbuckling 21* replete with scythed shots through the off-side) all enjoyed the chance to free the arms and attack the bowlers, with the Eagles reaching 2/145 from just 21 overs.
Drouin (5/168) def. Trafalgar (9/164)
Drouin will meet their vanquished opponents in the division five semi final this Saturday, and their five-wicket win could be a valuable psychological advantage over the Ships as the Hawks flexed their batting muscles.
Set a somewhat challenging target of 165 for victory, some of the usual suspects enjoyed rare failures at the crease, with Remo Graziotin (12), Clint Osseweyer (0), and Duy Vo (0) unable to match their usual freewheeling ways.
However, Jude Fernando (49*) was able to anchor Drouin's run chase and after being in a spot of bother at 3/31, the Hawks romped to 5/168 to seal victory in the 32nd over.
Garfield-Tynong (8/227) def. Western Park (116)
It's been a rollercoaster ride for Western Park faithful following the fortunes of the division five side in season 2024/25, but amidst the highs and lows the ragtag squad have stayed consistent in one crucial way – finding ways to surprise.
And for those hoping for a Warriors win on the weekend, the 14 and a half – yes, and a half – dropped chances in the field meant they slumped to a 111-run loss against a finals-bound Garfield-Tynong XI.
Led by Daniel Mitchell (53*), Aaron Braaksma (53*), and Bradley Luka (47), the Titans posted a formidable 8/227 from their 40 overs, with the host of missed opportunities affording them a licence to continue to attack.
Dayne O'Dwyer – who finished the game with a truly impressive shiner and potentially a broken thumb – was effective with the ball, snaring 3/31, whilst Caleb Walsh chimed in with three scalps of his own, but the rest of the attack felt the full force of Garfield-Tynong's boundary-hitting ways.
In reply, John 'Whale' Laffy departed early – hanging the bat out against Vijay Kumar (2/16) – in what he said could very well his farewell appearance (although rumours of his retirement have been met with association-wide disbelief) and his teammates followed suit.
Rich Kelly (a belligerent 25) and Nick Baker (who shrugged off ramen-induced jetlag to make 16) attempted to counterattack, but Braaksma (3/19 from 6) and Paul Lester (2/9) were up to the challenge and helped bundle Western Park out for 116 in the 28th over.
Neerim District (5/253) def. Yarragon (126)
No scores available at time of writing.