YALLINGUP-ODDBODS and Margaret River Hawks will meet in this Saturday's Busselton-Margaret River Cricket Association A-Grade T20 competition grand final at Barnard Park, after places were finalised in another incredibly close round of competition last weekend.
Yalligup-Oddbods finished up as the only side to win three of their four qualifying games, while Hawks scraped through into the grand final on net run rate, ahead of Dunsborough and St Marys, with all three sides finishing the qualifying series on two wins and two losses.
This Saturday's B-Grade T20 grand final, starting on the main oval at 12 noon, will also see Vasse take on Dunsborough, while the C-Grade T20 final, starting on the synthetic oval at 12 noon, will pit Cowaramup against Dunsborough.
All four qualifying A-Grade T20 games played last weekend resulted in thrilling finishes - top-class cricket from all involved.
In last Friday night's A-Grade game at Barnard Park, Yallingup-Oddbods scraped home by one wicket over St Marys at Barnard Park, after Saints totalled 97 (Nick Ritchie hitting 30 runs, Ben Payne taking 3-20) and YOBS then responded with 9-99 in 18.4 overs, with Nathan Crosby scoring 30 runs for the victors.
Down at Margaret River the same night, Hawks totalled 8-84 (with Paul Tognolini hitting a fine 36 not out) before dismissing Dunsborough for 81 to get home by 3 runs. Peter Crimp took 3-13 for Hawks.
In Saturday's A-Grade T20 games at Cowaramup, Cowaramup were dismissed for 112 by St Marys (Kavy de Silva scoring a brilliant 52 off 27 balls for the Bulls, including five fours and four sixes) and St Marys then getting up to win with two balls to spare, with a total of 8-113 (Ajith Rajakpaksha scoring 34 runs).
In the last qualifying A-Grade T20 encounter, also played at Cowaramup that afternoon, Yallingup-Oddbods scored 105 against Hawks, with Nathan Colombera hitting 37 for YOBS and Trent Matthews taking outstanding figures of 3-6 off four overs for Hawks.
Hawks were then held to 4-101 in 20 overs, Martin Head scoring an unbeaten 55, to see YOBS win by just 4 runs.
The B-Grade T20 qualifying games last Friday night saw Yallingup-Oddbods finally break through for their first win of the season, after holding Saints to 7-75 in 20 overs and then responding with 4-77 in 15.1 overs, with Adam Harris (37 not out) and Alex Logan (32) scoring nearly all the runs between them.
At Margaret River on Friday night, Dunsborough totalled 6-135 off 20 overs (Ben Danaher hitting 48) before restricting Hawks to 3-119 off 20 overs (Danny Weston scoring 63 off 63 balls).
At Cowaramup on Saturday, Yallingup-Oddbods continued their successful B-Grade weekend when they notched 3-158 off 20 overs (Tom Payne hitting an excellent 81 off 59 balls) and held Hawks to 6-133 off 20 overs (Seb Donovan scoring 63 runs) to win by 25 runs.
In Saturday's C-Grade T20 semi-finals, Hawks suffered five run outs in their way to a total of 9-84 from 20 overs against Dunsborough at the Dunsborough Playing Fields, of which Michael Earl scored 36 from 25 balls.
Dunsborough comfortably polished off the required runs in 10 overs to win their way through to the grand final.
The other C-Grade T20 semi-final saw an upset result with the strong Vasse side making 6-125 from 20 overs, with John Albury hitting an unbeaten 50, and Cowaramup responding with 6-127 in 19.4 overs, to book their spot in the grand final with two balls to spare.
