Athletic College Old Boys and Stoke-Nayland will have another weekend of cricket as they playoff for the final competition trophy of the season next Saturday.
In today's action, Nelson City New World Wakatu struggled from the outset batting first with a steady stream of wickets to lose by seven wickets to ACOB.
It was a clinical performance from ACOB, headlined by Liam Baird taking five wickets for just 26 runs in his 10 overs.
Baird also ended the innings with a fantastic one-handed diving catch to dismiss Nibu Jose and have Wakatu on the ropes, bowled out for 139.
There were patches of resistance, notably Angus Philpott's patient 34 not-out from 80 deliveries.
Batting eighth, he was the rock at the end of the innings, giving his team a defendable total.
Wakatu got off to the perfect start in the second innings, with Jose dismissing Jonty Raxworthy on the very first ball of the innings with an LBW.
Their hope quickly faded as Martin Slabbert (62 not out) and Mitchell Bailey (52) stabilised the innings with a 66 run partnership to put ACOB firmly in the driver's seat.
The departure of Bailey brought in James Graham (18), who played a strong supportive innings with Slabbert in a 54 run partnership to drive the result home.
After being caught behind by Daniel Hooper, off Nibu's bowling, they needed just 20 runs to win.
The victory came in the first ball of the 25th over, with ACOB making a statement of intent going into next weekend's final.
ACOB captain Ollie Jones-Allen said it was exciting to have the chance to complete an unbeaten season.
"(It was) nice for Martin (Slabbert) to score some runs at the top of the order. . . (and) Mitch Bailey took all the pressure off the batting effort early on."
While they will come into the final as favourites, Jones-Allen said he doesn't expect an easy game.
"It's going to be a stiff challenge playing Stoke next week and a nice way to finish off the year against our close rivals."
Wakatu captain Matt O'Sullivan said they were short of where they needed to be in the first innings.
"Anything can happen so (we) had to go out there and bowl well.
"Disappointing about the result, but overall, (it) was a really good season for our boys.
"ACOB were just too good for us today, they've been the best team all season and they proved that again today."
WAKATU 139/10 after 43.4 overs (Angus Philpott 34, Brad Smith 23; Liam Baird 5/26) lost to ACOB 141/3 after 24.1 overs (Martin Slabbert 62 not-out, Mitchell Bailey 52; Nibu Jose 3/52) by seven wickets.
STOKE-NAYLAND 235/10 after 46.3 overs (Sean Neal 70, Chris Dittmer 59, Ryan Edwards 34, Josh Smith 24, Ben Homan 20; Parth Nagpal 5/32, Sam Baxendine 2/28, Parminder Kular 2/27) defeated WAIMEA TOI TOI 142/10 after 41 overs (Daniel Endersby 31, Ryan Flowers 26, Kular 25; Sean Neal 4/22, Jared Silvester 2/22, Liam Clark 2/26) by 93 runs.
By Jack Malcolm
