SEBASTOPOL has ensured that a Ballarat-based club will contest the Ballarat-Geelong premier bowls grand final, with a hard-fought victory over Highton on Saturday.
The Kookaburras continued their run of form with a six-shot preliminary final win over Highton at Geelong West, which exits the finals in straight sets after finishing second on the ladder during the home-and-away season.
Sebastopol will now meet minor premiers Queenscliff in the grand final.
Jess Thomas and Robert Baker's rinks were the leading contributors for Sebastopol, picking up 13-shot and five-shot victories respectively, while Scott Roberts' quartet tied 19-all with Cal Inderberg's team.
Aaron Cook's team dropped its match by two shots to Craig Hodges' outfit.
Cook paid tribute to the Highton team, commending their sporting spirit for playing through the rain. It could have opted against it and relied on its higher ladder finish to move through to the decider.
"It was a pretty even performance right across the rinks - it was very trying conditions. We played in drizzly rain for three-quarters of the game," Cook said.
"We give them full marks for continuing through the rain to get a result."
Cook said Highton led the match early, before a prolific 35-end period got the Kookaburras back into the match.
Sebastopol led 53-35 after about 45 ends and then carried a six-shot lead into afternoon tea.
"We just slowly built the margin up after afternoon tea for a good win," Cook said.
Highton skip Craig Elliott said his team lost its way when the rain hit about 25-30 ends into the match.
"I guess we lost the initiative when the rain came. We probably had them under control at that stage," he said.
"They adapted to the conditions better across the board.
"We were a lot more competitive than the week before, but at the end of the day we come up short."
Elliott said it was disappointing not to "get another crack" at Queenscliff in the grand final after the Cliffers thumped them by 56 shots in the semi finals.