Bacchus Marsh’s title defence lives on in Gisborne District Twenty20 premier division after the Bulls got favourable results in the final round of pool games last week.
The Bulls took care of their side of the equation by beating Woodend 8-114 to 85.
Riddell, Bacchus Marsh’s semi-final opponent tonight, then put the Bulls into knockout stages by thrashing St Anthony’s by 102 runs.
The victory margins left Bacchus Marsh as the best one-win, one-loss team after the pool stage and in fourth place on the premier division table.
Scott Wakefield’s unbeaten 37 was top score for the Bulls against Woodend, while Andrew Dickinson (4-20) was best with the ball.
Riddell will be a tough opponent in tonight’s semi-final after Matt Darby (76no), Cameron Moran (66) and Hayden Castle (40) bludgeoned runs against
St Anthony’s on the way to 8-225.
The other premier division semi-final pits Sunbury against Sunbury United. Sunbury thrashed Romsey 6-252 to 127, while United also secured a two-from-two record in the pool stage with its 5-219 to 7-159 win against Wallan.
Sunbury plays United from 5.30 tonight at Clarke Oval, while Riddell tackles Bacchus Marsh at Riddell, starting at 6pm.
In district division, Ashfield was the only team to win two-from-two in the pool stage as it beat Diggers Rest Bulla Village 98 to 52 last Tuesday. Finishing top of the pool stage sets Ashfield up for a semi-final against Tylden.
Ashfield’s Russell Phillips (34no) batted his team to the 20-over mark before Matthew Bulluss (3-12) and Simon Barry (4-10) obliterated the Burras to have Diggers Rest Bulla Village out by the 17th over.
Lancefield carried points forward from a first-round bye and advanced with a 6-134 to 115 win against Macedon. The Tigers will face Rupertswood for a spot in the final, after Rupo beat East Sunbury by five wickets to be best of the one-win teams.
Tylden met Gisborne in last week’s other match, knowing a win would guarantee a semi-final berth.
Gisborne needed a big win or favourable results in other games. It produced a significant margin with a 9-156 to 82 victory.
But Tylden’s percentage dropped only to 0.99, while Gisborne’s climbed only to 0.84, leaving Tylden holding fourth spot.
Tonight’s semi-finals both start at 6pm, pitting Ashfield against Tylden at Boardman Reserve, Sunbury, while Lancefield hosts Rupertswood at Lancefield Main Oval.
