Paarl Rocks will host the Mzansi Super League final after they booked their automatic ticket to the decider by edging out the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants by 12 runs at Boland Park on Sunday.
Isuru Udana played a key role with both bat and ball, while there were also other vital performances by Kyle Verreynne, Tabraiz Shamsi and Bjorn Fortuin as the Rocks' 168/5 trumped the Giants' total of 156/6.
With that, Faf du Plessis' team earned themselves a direct route to a December 16 Boland title showdown.
Both teams finished the league phase tied on 27 points, but the Paarl side ended ahead of their Port Elizabeth rivals by winning both games between the two sides to claim the big No. 1 spot.
ONE MORE: Faf du Plessis celebrates his side making it to the final of the Mzansi Super League. Picture: Phando Jikelo/ANA.
Consolation for the Giants, who held all the aces heading into the game, was a qualifier they will stage against the Tshwane Spartans or Durban Heat a position that will now only be decided on Tuesday.
That spot could have been confirmed on Sunday, but the Spartans had their match against Cape Town Blitz abandoned due to rain at SuperSport Park, meaning that should the Heat beat Jozi Stars in Durban in two days’ time, they will meet the Giants in Friday's playoff for the final.
Defeat will put the Spartans through to the qualifier.
All eyes on the final double-header matchday were on the Rocks-Giants showdown, though, with the visitors certain to be disappointed that they did not do better than the final numbers suggested.
PUT UP A FIGHT: Heino Kuhn of the Nelson Mandela Giants put up a fight against Paarl Rocks. Picture: Phando Jikelo/ANA.
After winning the toss and putting in the hosts, they allowed them a flying start thanks to top-scorer Cameron Delport (39 off 22 balls), Henry Davids (31 off 27 balls) and Faf du Plessis (22).
That good start took Paarl to 101/2 at one stage, before the outstanding Imran Tahir (2/14) wove his magic - the Rocks slipping to 107/5.
But Verreynne (36 off 20 balls) and Isuru Udana (27 off 21 balls) shared an unbroken 61-run stand that came in 6.3 overs to lift their side to a lowish, but competitive total.
Strong bowling by Bjorn Fortuin (0/19), who also expertly ran out key batsman Jon-Jon Smuts (16) at an important juncture of the game, as well as Shamsi (2/25) and Udana (0/32) then prevented the visitors from getting away to a flying start as they stuttered along to reach 92/4 in the 14th over.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/IAmIsuru17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IAmIsuru17💜💜💜 #PaarlRocks https://t.co/f4WZLnuDjK
— Paarl Rocks (@Paarl_Rocks)
And, despite Heino Kuhn changing gears during the latter part of his 58 off 43 balls (4 fours, 1 six), the acceleration appeared to come too late.
Ferisco Adams also landed some late blows to hand Paarl a key win.