Helensburgh also got off to a winning start on the first leg of their double-header after being set 105 for victory by Corrimal at Ziems.

Cougars opener Daniel Baldwin had 61 for the hosts but struggled for partners with Aaron McElhinney (10) the only other batsmen in double figures. Burgh skipper Mitch McCrae was unbeaten on 57 while Hayden McCrae added 20 runs as the Tigers reeled the the total in 18.3 overs.

They did it tougher in their second clash of the afternoon after winning the toss and electing to bat against Northern Districts with Jackson Stewart’s 3/13 off four overs and two wickets each to Lachlan Dunn (2/13) and Anthony Sheeley (2/14) keeping the Tigers to a total of 108.

It proved enough with Steve Blissenden’s 4/22 and a handy two-over, 2/12 spell from Neil Ryan helping to dismiss the Butchers for 89.

“In the first game against Corrimal we chased it down pretty easily but in the second game we probably didn’t bat as well as we wanted to but our bowlers really did the job for us,” McCrae said.

“Steve always seems to do well with the ball for us. If he doesn’t get runs he’ll get wickets for us, if he doesn’t get wickets he’ll usually get runs so he’s always really handy for us.

“Neil Ryan was massive for us, getting their two openers in Jacob Hand and Lachlan Dunn. They’re their two best batsmen so for him to get them both was probably the difference for us.”

The Tigers will now take on Balgownie in Sunday’s Semi-final after they finished just ahead of Keira on percentages in Pool B. Bally’s 120 was run down by Wollongong with just four balls to spare but they posted a whopping 173 in a 41-run win over Wests in their afternoon clash.

“We should be pretty confident going into it but it’s still going to be a step up because Bally always step up in finals cricket,” McCrae said.

University will take on Wollongong after managing victories over Kiera and Dapto to finish atop Pool B.

Uni won the toss and sent Keira in with Mitch Hearn (2/24) and Patrick Clarke (2/14) doing the early damage with the ball before Vijay Karthik’a spell of 3/10 in three overs saw the Lions all out for 96 in 17.5 overs.

A measured opening stand from James Chappell and Mitch Calder got the the hosts of a to a solid start, posting 49 runs before Calder fell to Dave Mason for a run-a-ball 21.

Mason picked up Robert Lane with his next ball to give his side a sniff before Uni crept past the total with 13 balls to spare.

They did it at a much faster clip against Dapto at Reed Park after the hosts won the toss and elected to bat, setting the students 121 on the back of Harindu Wanigaratne’s 51 off 43 balls.

Scott Sharman had Chappell early for a duck before Calder’s unbeaten 57 of 52 balls and Lane’s 42 off 38 saw the visitors reel in the total with two overs to spare.