MORE CRICKET - California Gully v Spring Gully | PHOTOS
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EMU Creek landed a pre-finals blow on Sedgwick, belting the Rams by 152 runs on Saturday in a result that has the two teams set to meet again in an Emu Valley semi next weekend.
The loss cost Sedgwick top spot, sending the Rams into the 2 v 3 semi-final match-up against the dangerous Emus, who have made a stellar return to the division one competition this season.
Chasing the Emus' imposing 318 at J.G. Edwards Oval, the Rams could only get just over halfway to their target as they were bowled out for 166 in the 58th over.
The Emus never allowed the Rams to build the platform needed when chasing such a big score, with Sedgwick falling to 4-54 in the 22nd over, while seven wickets had tumbled by the time the score ticked over 100.
The Emus were able to clean the Rams up, despite no wickets from the competition's leading bowler, Luke Bennett (0-17).
Instead, Anthony Collins (3-38), Tyrone Downie (3-39), captain Todd Brown (2-29) and Torin Petrie (2-29) combined to take the 10 wickets for the Emus.
Opener Greg Thomas (38), Justin Hancock (36) and veteran Scott McKenzie (30) scored the bulk of the runs for the Rams, whose loss was just their second of the season.
The Rams slipping to second on the ladder in what's their centenary season comes after they had sat in top spot since round five.
Before Saturday Sedgwick hadn't lost a game by more than 150 runs since going down to United by 162 in round eight of 2012-13.
• Sedgwick's loss proved to be Spring Gully's gain.
Coupled with Sedgwick's defeat, Spring Gully's victory over California Gully elevated the Crows into top spot.
A massive upset loomed when the Crows slumped to 8-147 chasing the Cobras' 196 at California Gully.
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However, the pair of James Fox and Saheed Akolade combined to thwart California Gully and deny the Cobras a second win of the season that would have also sent the Crows to third.
Fox (72) and Akolade (33) put on 106 for the ninth wicket as the Crows fought their way from the brink of disaster to 253 and a 57-run victory.
Before Saturday's 72 Fox's highest score this season had been 15 n.o, while Akolade's 33 was his top score since moving to Bendigo from Negeria in February of 2015.
As well as Fox and Akolade, the Crows' innings also featured a half-century to Shaun Makepeace (54).
It was Makepeace's dismissal that left the Crows reeling at 8-147 and at that stage the Cobras' seemingly poised to pull off what would have been the upset of the season.
Bradley Smith (2-52), Webster (2-56) and Brad Olson (2-39) took two wickets each for the Cobras, who since winning their breakthrough premiership in 2016-17 have claimed back-to-back wooden spoons.
• United is once again finals-bound after winning the fight for fourth spot.
Led by a century from Patrick Hartney, the Tigers made light work of West Bendigo's 113 at Ken Wust Oval.
Hartney alone outscored the Redbacks, cracking 136 from 209 balls with 20 fours and one six - his first division one century - to help the Tigers to 321 and a massive 208-run win.
Hartney batted through until he was the last wicket to fall, with the Tigers' total of 321 coming after they had last week been 2-5 early.
The Tigers almost had two century-makers in the innings, but Mac Whittle fell just short of raising his bat when caught by wicket-keeper Travis O'Connell for 98.
The Redbacks weren't without a chance of defending their score when they had the Tigers a delicate 6-76.
But Hartney and Whittle took the game away from the home side, putting on 156 for the seventh wicket to propel United into a semi-final against old foes Spring Gully.
Having won just one of their first six games, the Tigers head into the finals with a 5-1 record in their past six matches.
Gary Singh's 5-74 for West Bendigo included the wickets of both Hartney and Whittle, while Shannon Murphy snared 4-48.
Saturday's run-feast for United was the sixth time in its past eight games West Bendigo conceded a score of more than 300.
• Mandurang tumbled from fourth to sixth on the back of a four-wicket loss to Maiden Gully.
Maiden Gully answered the Rangas' 8-207 with 6-208 spearheaded by half-centuries to Trevor Pickthall (75) and opener Alex Gorrie (67).
Gorrie's 67 continued a strong finish to the season, with it his third half-century in the past three games.
Matt Pask (3-35) was the best of the bowlers for the Rangas, who will miss the finals for the first time since 2013-14 after struggling late in the season.
Final ladder
1. Spring Gully
Record: 10-2 Points: 120
2. Sedgwick
Record: 10-2 Points: 120
3. Emu Creek
Record: 9-3 Points: 116
4. United
Record: 6-5-1 Points: 78
5. Maiden Gully
Record: 5-6-1 Points: 66
6. Mandurang
Record: 5-6-1 Points: 66
7. Marong
Record: 4-7-1 Points: 54
8. West Bendigo
Record: 2-10 Points: 24
9. California Gully
Record: 1-11 Points: 12
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