The Central Stags have secured direct entry to Sunday's Dream11 Super Smash Grand Final at the Cello Basin Reserve, bumping out defending champion the Auckland Aces with three balls to spare in a nailbiter at Napier's McLean Park last night.
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Sealed with an Angus Schaw six as the Stags reeled in a stiff asking rate (the Stags had needed their last 100 runs off 58 balls, then their last 48 off 19), the Stags chased down the Aces' 147/9 in a game reduced to 18 overs per side by a late afternoon heat shower during the first innings in a steamy contest on a blazingly warm Hawke's Bay day.
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Central's win also put Northern Brave into Saturday's Elimination Final - where the Brave will face either last year's runner-up the Canterbury Kings or the fighting Wellington Firebirds, pending the result of today's last regular season doubleheader at the Cello Basin Reserve at 4.25pm.
The fight for the last available spot in the women's Finals also went up a notch yesterday, still down to two teams after the Auckland Hearts calmly defeated the Central Hinds to stay alive.
Lauren Down and Bella Armstrong built unbeaten half centuries in an unbroken fourth-wicket century-stand in the Hearts' tally of 139/3, before tight work from spinner Fran Jonas (3/14 off four overs) helped defend the total - restricting the Hinds to 119/8.
The win swept Maddy Green's resurgent team to 22 points, and third spot on the ladder.
With their regular season complete, they must now await the result of today's game (12.40pm in Wellington) between defending champion Wellington Blaze and Northern Brave to see if they will qualify, with Brave's women - featuring Sri Lanka star Chamari Athapaththu, one of the world's top T20 players - capable of knocking them out to reach the Finals for a second successive year.
BLACKCAP Will Young said both the men's and women's competitions had been a fascinating watch, this season.
"It's been so close that every game has had some context", said Young.
"In the men's Dream11 Super Smash, heading into yesterday, all six teams were still able to make the Final, so it's been interesting stuff.
"When we are away on BLACKCAPS duties, all the players get into each other's rooms to watch the Super Smash. It's been awesome to follow, and I'm stoked I can be part of these last few games for the Stags.
"It's our first Grand Final for a few years so it brings back some good memories - and some bad memories, but we'd rather be in a Grand Final than not, so we're thrilled."