Lions roar into final at expense of Swans

As the higher-placed side, BLU had the choice of venue for the clash and understandably opted for its own home ground, Bamawm Recreation Reserve.

After South made a good start with the bat, the visitor lost nine wickets for 46 runs to go from a comfortable 1-72 to all out for 118, the Lions then chasing down the total with seven wickets still in hand.

The action started with the home side winning the toss, captain Regis Chakabva opting to send the Swans in despite questionable conditions.

“It was actually a funny one because the outfield was a bit on the wet side, and in some ways it didn't really make the most sense to try and bowl first,” he said.

“There was a lot of thought that maybe the ball would get wet very quickly and be pretty much useless to use after a few overs.

“We had chased well in a few games in the second half of the season, and so in the end we just thought that we'd just stick with that and try and put a bit of pressure early on them with our bowling.”

That pressure eventually yielded the wicket of Saichin Peiris in the 10th over, South making a 1-26 start to the innings.

Asantha Singappuli (18) came to the crease and was travelling nicely alongside remaining opener Jayden Rosin (33), before the game hit a turning point at 1-72.

“I'd probably say it’s a couple of key moments (that turned the game),” Chakabva said.

“There was a brilliant catch from Joel Felmingham when he caught Rosie (Jayden Rosin) at mid-on.

“Luke (Thompson) had obviously done well against South the previous encounter we had against them, so he was also a key one to try and bowl out his overs to their main batters as much as possible.

“Fortunately, for us, Singappuli, he ran down to one of (Thompson’s) balls and only managed to get an inside edge on to his own stumps.

“We felt that those two moments were where the game really changed for us because they were the (batters) that were going well.”

From there, wickets began to fall with regularity, Jeremy Felmingham ensuring there was no lower order fightback, taking the last four wickets to post 4-21, his side’s best figures.

Felmingham opened his account with a near hat-trick in the 37th over, removing Shaun Haffenden and Ben Eade in consecutive balls.

AK Gunathilaka blocked out the hat-trick delivery but couldn’t survive any longer as Felmingham found his edge the very next ball.

All out for 118, the Swans needed a lot to got right to pull out a victory, but that wasn’t how the second innings played out.

South had early joy when Prateer Mehta went for 7, but the wicket brought captain Chakabva to the crease, the Zimbabwe international taking the game out of the Swans’ hands.

Kade Pearse (15) held up his end well, while Chakabva made 73 unbeaten from 66 deliveries.

“(My strategy) was just try and bat normal and not really try to do anything too extravagant,” Chakabva said.

“Pick the bad balls and respect the good balls, and I was fortunate to manage to do that fairly well for the length of the innings until we chased it down.”

Chakabva showed a little extravagance late on, smashing two sixes, including one to seal the win.

A couple of partners fell around him, Singappuli (3-22) doing all he could for South with all three Swans wickets, but BLU found its way home (3-123) in under 27 overs.

The Lions are now set for a blockbuster grand final face-off with Moama, which dispatched Kyabram Fire Brigade in the other semi-final.

The Mowers have lost only one game all season, but crucially that defeat was just last week and to its opponent in the decider, BLU.

Moama will have home ground advantage this time around, the grand final set to begin at 11am on Sunday at Moama Recreation Reserve.