Clubs representing associations from across the Central Highlands slogged it out in the Cricket Willow semi finals at the weekend where Blackwood and Mt Clear emerged victorious.

The two clubs will meet in the grand final to be played at Cricket Willow at Shepherds Flat on Monday.

Blackwood qualified for the final after beating Rupertsford on Sunday.

The match was closely contested with Rupertsford needing 12 runs off the final over of the game.

As the pressure mounted on both teams, it came down to the final ball of the innings. The crowd were on the edge of their seats at the picturesque Cricket Willow with Rupertsford needing three runs

off the final delivery.

Unfortunately for Rupertsford it was not to be with Blackwood taking a catch and snatching victory.

The other semi final involved the highly-fancied Mt Clear taking on Grampians Cricket Association club Swifts-Great Western.

Mt Clear posted a healthy total of 164, thanks largely to some entertaining hitting from its top order. The Swifts/Great Western side was under the pump right from the outset and despite a gutsy run

chase, which saw Brendan Pateman launch four sixes, was not good enough and was bowled out in the 16th over.

Twenty20 cricket has taken Australia by storm in the past year and the Cricket Willow Twenty20 Cup provides a great opportunity for the region's cricket community to get a taste of the action.

As the name suggests, each side bats for an action-packed innings of 20 overs. Other features include "free hits" for front-foot no balls, overs bowled in "five over blocks" from each end, incoming batsmen

having only 90 seconds to face up and a "bowl off" to decide tied or weather interrupted games.

The grand final festivities will kick off with Family Super 6's cricket from 10am.

Families and friends are invited to form a team of six for an exciting new form of cricket played with a "softball".

The Cricket Willow Twenty20 Cup grand final will get under way at 2pm. Entry is by gold coin with proceeds to donated to Camp Quality.

Contact Cricket Willow on 5476 4277 or email info@cricketwillow.com.au