Wagga Sloggers scraped into the Regional Bash finals at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
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Just 0.03 per cent separated the Sloggers and Southern Riverina Vipers after the second round of play in Griffith.
Coming off a big win over Border Bullets, the Sloggers continued their good form with a four-run win over Murrumbidgee Rangers.
However they come unstuck in the second match of the double header on Sunday.
The Vipers proved too strong, to take a 26-run win.
Captain Joel Robinson, who sat out the clash due to a knee injury sustained earlier in the day, was relieved to make it back to play on NSW’s premier ground.
“I don’t really know how it works out whether it was a wicket or a couple of runs,” Robinson said.
“We fell away a little bit with the bat, let them (Vipers) get 10 to 15 more than we would have liked and then let the run rate get a little bit too far ahead of ourselves between five and 15 overs.
“We didn’t keep control of the game.”
Robinson believes it is a good reward for those who have committed to playing.
The Sloggers, Vipers and Bullets all finished with two wins and a loss, with the numbers just passing the way of the team who went through to the semi-finals last year.
The Vipers last ball loss to the Bullets hours earlier proved costly.
Former Wagga cricketer Mat Tom scored the winning runs for the Albury side.
The Rangers lost all three of their matches, but put in a good display against the Sloggers.
Robinson was pleased by how the team scrambled to victory.
“We probably fell 20 runs short of what we would have liked, but conditions weren’t the easiest to bat on,” he said.
“The ball was staying a little bit low so I’m pretty happy we were able to defend it.”
St Michaels’ Michael Mitchell and Cootamundra’s Matt Berkrey were the best performed batsmen.
Mitchell made 23 and 34 while Berkrey top scored against the Rangers with 35.
Kurt Robertson also performed well in both matches while Sam Perry snared two wickets in both games.
The Sloggers will play at the SCG on December 10.
They were knocked out by Orana Outlaws in the semi-finals last year.
This year’s rival will be determined later in the month.
