by Samuel Laffy
A grade
Hallora (6/167) def. Western Park (6/143)
Hallora secured their spot in the T20 A grade grand final thanks to a 24-run win over Western Park, with the Kangaroos taking advantage of a rollicking opening stand between Kian Burns and Ethan Lamers that carried them to a winning total.
Lamers in particular was in excellent form – albeit after surviving an early chance – blasting boundary after boundary in a frenetic 23-ball 44.
Burns was slightly more watchful but effective nonetheless, striking 41 from 36 balls and the duo added 90 for the first wicket in quick time.
Lachlan Pratt (22 off just 9 balls) rammed home the advantage to take Hallora through to 6/167. Sam Batson was – as usual – the star with the ball, snaring 4/22.
In reply, Western Park weren't able to match the boundary-hitting ways of Hallora and found themselves in significant trouble at 5/51.
Jacques Augustin (53*) and Matt Jones (26*) fought back with an unbeaten 64-run stand, but the pair couldn't bridge the run rate gap, and the Warriors finished at 6/143.
Longwarry (5/141) def. Iona (6/140)
Jonah Serong's batting heroics helped Longwarry snatch a five-wicket win over Iona, with the Crows' talented all-rounder compiling a dynamic half-century that seized the momentum for his side.
In the face of a challenging run chase – with the Swamp Tigers' 6/140 made possible thanks to a glorious knock of 73 from Jess Grima – Serong (63 from 49) combined with Matthew Aslett (26 off 18) in a 60-run opening stand that helped ensure any potential run rate pressure was quickly assuaged.
Longwarry's aggressive approach meant that chances were created by the Ionan attack – with Lachlan Howard (2/17 off 3) particularly effective with the ball – but they had enough momentum after their early onslaught to seal victory in the 18th over.
Bye: Catani
B grade
Ellinbank (2/109) def. Warragul (104)
Curtis Howell and Jeremy Gray starred with the ball in Ellinbank's comfortable win over Warragul in their round five T20 clash, with the former snaring a hat-trick to bring an end to the Gulls' innings.
Breaching the defences of Nick Peake, Howell gleefully accepted a return catch from Tyler Wakefield before once again hitting the woodwork, sending Brian Christensen on his way to dismiss Warragul for 104.
Howell finished with 4/14, whilst Gray snagged 3/15 from his four overs.
In the face of a small target, some teams might have opted to gently work the ball around the field on their way to victory, but Troy Ferguson had other ideas.
Smashing the fall ball of the innings for six, Ferguson blitzkrieged his way to 75* from just 29 balls, and the Eagles rampaged their way to 2/109 from just 8.4 overs to seize an emphatic eight-wicket win over the Gulls.
Garfield-Tynong (3/190) def. Buln Buln (105)
Garfield-Tynong warmed up for the T20 B grade grand final with an 85-run win over Buln Buln as Amal Athulathmudali once again demonstrated his tremendous ability in short-form cricket.
Having watched as Michael Modaffari (22 from 14) and Chris Diston (40 off 39) set an encouraging platform, Athulathmudali launched into a devastating assault on the bowlers.
Striking the ball powerfully square of the wicket and frequently dancing down the pitch to disrupt the bowler's length, the Titans dynamo notched one of the rarer feats seen in local cricket – a T20 century.
In all 102 came off just 57 balls before Athulathmudali was eventually caught in the deep, as Garfield-Tynong made 3/190.
In reply, Wilson Pollock (45 from 45) did his best to match for the Lyrebirds, but Krishan Rangajith (3/17 from 2.5) and Athulathmudali (2/8 off 3) were able to make regular breakthroughs and dismiss Buln Buln for 105.
Bye: Trafalgar
C grade
Jindivick (5/174) def. Western Park (5/155)
Jindivick gained a potential psychological advantage over Western Park in their round five T20 clash, with the Jumping Jacks notching a 19-run win over the Warriors – the teams now set to face each other again in the C grade grand final.
It was Jordan Smith (58 from 43) and Cooper Pursell (47* off just 37 balls) who propelled Jindivick to their – eventual – winning total, with the duo taking advantage of some slightly loose bowling from the Warriors attack.
Archie Dunn (2/33) and Henry Allsop (3/35) claimed multiple scalps, but were unable to slow the flow of runs as Jindivick made 5/174.
In reply, Allsop (36 off 28) and Tyler McMillan (24 from 13) looked set to notch innings of note, but the pair were both dismissed before they could complete seize momentum for their side.
John Allsop reminded everyone of his ability with a powerful 50, but Pursell (2/17 from 4) and James Stevenage (1/11 off 3) stymied scoring enough to restrict Western Park to 5/155 in reply.
Hallora def. Yarragon by forfeit.
Bye: Trafalgar