Bendigo, third going into the final premilinary game, scraped home by 13 runs against winless Warrnambool, the previously unbeaten Kyabram suffered a shock loss to Murray Valley and second-placed Mornington was belted by Geelong.

Once the dust settled and second innings were played out, Bendigo (53.01) topped the ladder clearly from Kyabram (51.95), which clung on to second spot by just 13 runs from an unlucky Geelong (51.82).

Bendigo will meet Kyabram in the final at The Albert Ground today for the second time in eight years.

Kyabram defeated Bendigo by three wickets in the 2002 final.

Bendigo last won the provincial title in 2007.

“It’s a great effort by the team to get into the final,’’ a relieved Bendigo coach David Rosaia said last night.

“The great thing about this group is there are no out-and-out stars, but they’re a great team.

“Everyday they’ve stuck together . . . the only game we’ve lost for the week was by one run (to Kyabram).’’

Bendigo had to fight hard to get the points over Warrnambool yesterday.

Apart from Darren Petersen (40 off 42 balls), Bendigo’s top-order struggled and at 6-106 a score of less than 150 was a real possibility.

White Hills’ Tim Kelly (47) and Eaglehawk’s Matt Fitt (18) dug in and added 54 for the seventh wicket to ensure Bendigo’s bowlers had something competitive to defend.

Adam Burns (3-44) and Matt Kile (2-16) had Warrnambool in all sorts of trouble at 5-58.

But Warrnambool skipper Glen Skinner played one of the innings of the carnival to give his side a shot at an upset win.

Skinner made an unbeaten 80 from 81 balls, but he ran out of partners as Warrnambool was dismissed 13 runs short of Bendigo’s total of 8-179.

Bendigo made sure of its final berth by smashing 4-102 off 11 overs in its second innings.

Tim Wood crunched 48 off 24 balls, including three sixes.

Other results: Ballarat 9-173 (R. Knowles 73, J. Morrison 3-26, R. Gleeson 3-27) and 0-11 d Sale-Maffra 137 (P. Leeds 54, M. Foster 44, D. Fletcher 3-16, S. Lockyer 3-26); Murray Valley 5-294 (L. Carter 151, L. Gledhill 55, S. Downie 43) bt Kyabram 9-256 (P. Ransom 62no, D. Ohlson 39, P. Parsons 35, L. Carter 3-31, A. Quinn 3-68); Geelong 8-192 (A Cairns 35) and 2dec-42 bt Mornington Peninsula (1) 114 (M Freijah 3-30) and 3-13.

Ladder: Bendigo 53.01 Kyabram 51.95 Geelong 51.82 Mornington Peninsula 40.32 Murray Valley 39.82 Ballarat 38.73 Sale-Maffra 27.39 Warrnambool 14.46.