Just as Old Boys sealed their spot in the February 10 decider, Bective kept its hopes alive with an impressive 55-run defeat of City United on Saturday.

For the most part, ball dominated the bat at Riverside No.1.

It took a brilliant 72 from captain Adam Jones to lift Bective to a competitive total of 146.

The classy right-hand bat looked imperious at times at the crease, hitting five boundaries and two sixes during his 75-ball stay.

The competition’s leading run-scorer now has 467 runs for the season at the mighty impressive average of 77.83.

No.3 Toby Whale (18) and all-rounder Gerhard Labuschagne (15) were the only other Bective batsmen to reach double-figures, while extras (23) proved the second top contributor.

City’s attack bowled with good discipline, none more so than spearhead Tait Jordan.

Jordan claimed 3-23 in eight impressive overs, headlined by the key wicket of Jones.

Titu Alias (3-26) also bowled well for United.

But City, out of contention when it came to the final, never looked likely in the chase, all out for 91.

United slumped from 3-11 to 6-41, but a plucky 33 from No.8 Daniel Lawrence added respectability to the scoreboard, while Daniel Cooke (19) battled hard.

Cooper Barnes (3-34) was the pick of the Bective bowlers, while Labuschagne completed a good match by returning 2-15 in eight tight overs.

Souths refused to give up on its final hopes without a fight, but extinguished the hopes of Wests in what proved a cracking contest at Riverside No.2.

Captain Josh Crowe (37), Will Burke (36no) and Troy Osborne (30no) played important hands as Souths posted 5-171 from its allotted 40 overs.

Osborne and Burke combined for a 62-run stand which lifted Souths from a tricky spot after Daniel Cunningham’s early heroics.

Cunningham took 3-25 to be the star bowler for Wests.

But needing to win to stay in the hunt, Wests endured a rough start, losing opener Dave Mudaliar for a fourth-ball duck.

Sage Cook (46), skipper Tim Kensell (32) and Cunningham (23) got the ship sailing in the right direction, but Wests’ innings lost real momentum as Troy Osborne and Tom O’Neill made in-roads.

Osborne (3-32) claimed the key wicket of Cook, while O’Neill (2-36) played his part in the cause, as did two late Wests run-outs.