The Burgh are the yardstick side with just one loss all season,  while Corrimal are on a four game premiership-winning run.

The Cougars have a slight edge heading into Saturday’s second day of their round nine two-dayer - resuming at 1-25 chasing 177 at Helensburgh Oval.

  Medium-pacer Aaron McElhinney took a career-best 6-20 on day one against a Burgh batting line-up missing injured skipper Ben Marciante.

  A Cougars victory would give them top spot with only four more rounds before the semi-finals, while on Sunday  both clubs are chasing their first T20 title.

   Corrimal were beaten by Keira in last season’s decider and skipper Rob Fisher says his young side - who hardly figured in the representative mix - have again proven the doubters wrong.

 ‘‘I’m proud of the whole side how we have galvanised and played together all season,’’ Fisher said.

 ‘‘I hope we haven’t peaked a bit too early. We’re playing well, everyone is contributing and on any day one person stands up with the bat and the next day it’s someone with the ball.

‘‘Helensburgh are a really strong side and I think we had the better of the first day, now we have to knuckle down with the bat and make the runs.’’

Helensburgh skipper Ben Marciante is sitting out the two-dayer recovering from an ankle injury, but will return for the T20 final.

  ‘‘We’re really looking forward to it. The club has won the premiership and two day comp, now want to win the T20 comp,’’ Marciante said.

Cricket Illawarra will broadcast the first and second grade T20 finals at North Dalton Park live through  BarTV  Sports on YouTube.

 The coverage will feature three cameras and commentary with access through searching Illawarra T20 final on You Tube. 

The first grade T20 final is from 3pm, with Keira taking on Northern Districts in second grade (12.15pm) and Wests Illawarra v University in third grade (9.30am).

 Corrimal Red face Northern Districts in the fourth grade decider at Dalton Park West (10.30am).

 Meanwhile, in round nine of first grade, Wests have claimed first innings points from Keira, while Dapto will surely chase outright points against Wollongong.

 At Figtree Oval, Wests skipper Josh Hill (60) and Jarrod Collis (41 not out) saved Wests from defeat and earned the home side first innings points against Keira (134).

  At North Dalton Park, teenager Sameer Murthy (40) top-scored but Wollongong could manage only 137, with Dapto to resume at 6-123.

In other games, Port are 0-11 chasing University’s 8-268, while Northern Districts are 0-38 in reply to Balgownie’s 282 on day one.

  Illawarra ladder (before round 9): Helensburgh 50; Corrimal 48; University 47; Balgownie 41; Port Kembla 38; Dapto 28; Northern Districts 25; Wests Illawarra 22; Wollongong 16; Keira 13.

 ILLAWARRA CRICKET

SUNDAY - T20 FINALS

Grades 1,2, 3 at North Dalton Park

First grade: Helensburgh v Corrimal (3pm)

Second grade: Northern Districts v Keira (12.15pm)

Third grade: Wests v University (9.30am)

Fourth grade: Northern Districts v Corrimal Red (10.30am) at Dalton Park West.