After an exciting round of fixtures in the Division 2 CSA 4-Day Domestic Series this past week, the finalists have been decided and the ACDC Express Tuskers will host the Northern Cape Heat in the final from 2-6 April.
It will be the first time that the Northern Cape side aren't hosting the final of the red-ball competition since the inception of the two division system, and they will travel to Pietermaritzburg to face the Tuskers at the AET Pietermaritzburg Oval.
The Tuskers went into the final match of the round-robin phase of the tournament in second place on the log and after a clinical six-wicket victory they jumped above the Heat into first.
A second-innings century from debutant and concussion substitution Jack Lees (118*) helped the Tuskers to victory after they had picked up maximum bowling points from their first innings endeavours.
WHITEHEAD SHINES WITH THE BALL
Batting first Iinyathi made 177 all out in their first knock.
Shane Dadswell top scored with 93 while Sean Whitehead (3-48) and Ziyaad Abrahams (3-46) were the pick of the Tuskers bowlers.
In their first innings the Tuskers made 204 all out, giving them a slender lead going into the second innings.
Jade de Klerk was the star with the ball for Iinyathi, picking up outstanding figures of 7-83.
Iinyathi then replied with 253 all out in their second innings. Dadswell again top scored, this time with 75 while opener Nathan Roux made 56.
Whitehead followed his three wickets in the first innings with 4-63 in the second innings.
Sean Gilson was also among the wickets, taking 4-48 with his spin.
The Tuskers were set a tricky 227 to win the match and a second- wicket partnership of 119 was crucial in their victory.
Lees, who came in as a concussion substitute for Cameron Shekleton, guided his team home with an unbeaten hundred while Malcolm Nofal's 55 was also crucial.
De Klerk's left-arm spin again provided Iinyathi with hope as he finished the match with ten wickets, taking 3-86 in the second innings.
His match figures were 10-169, which were career-best match figures.
It was the second time this season De Klerk took 10-169, after he produced the same figures against the Badgers earlier in the season.
EASTERN STORM AND BADGERS ENTERTAIN
In the other matches from Division 2, Eastern Storm and the Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers produced one of the matches of the season.
After Easterns had amassed 324 for six declared in their first innings thanks to 120 from Christopher Britz and 91 from Jason van Dyk, GRB then declared on four without loss.
Eastern Storm then forfeited their second innings to set GRB 321 to win the game.
GRB captain George van Heerden scored a fourth-innings hundred has the visitors made a charge for the total.
His 101 along with 54 from Kurt Botha took the Badgers to 308 before they were bowled out 12 runs short of the mark.
CLINICAL RHINOS
The Mpumalanga Rhinos put in a clinical display in their clash with the Limpopo Impalas in Polokwane.
The Rhinos bowled the Impalas out for 230 in their first innings. Heinrigh Pieterse made 98 not out and was left stranded while Gareth Dukes picked up 3-49.
In reply the Rhinos made 365 all out in their first innings. That was thanks to 145 not out from Yassar Cook and 55 from Jurie Snyman.
Jesse Albanie was the pick of the Impalas bowlers, collecting 5-80.
The Impalas then made 217 in their second innings with half centuries from Morne Venter (54) and Jan Coetzer (50) getting them to the mark where Mpumalanga needed 83 runs to win.
It was a simple chase for the visiting team with openers Karabo Mogotsi (40*) and Jurie Snyman (43*) guiding them to 85 without loss in just ten overs.