Minor premiers Greta/Branxton and Bellbird will face off in this season's Cessnock District Cricket first grade premiership decider after both won their semi-finals over the weekend.

Greta/Branxton hosted fourth-placed Wine Country at Miller Park, with the Blues running out winners by 30 runs.

Batting first, the home side managed a modest 8-149 from their forty overs in tricky batting conditions. Genuine all-rounder Brent Watson led the way with 26, with Nathan Holz (24), Mark Bercini (21), Josh Dagg (18) and Reuben Andrews (14) providing the bulk of the runs. Allan Heath (3-49 off 10) and Hudson Smith (2-28 off 8) were the pick of the Wine Country attack, but they will be ruing the fact they dropped several regulation catches in the field.

The Wood Ducks were on the back foot early at 4-21, but a fine knock of 47 from the youthful Sam Peacock kept the visitors in the contest. He and Rob Sidebottom (21) got Wine Country within range, but their wickets in pretty quick succession signaled the start of the end. They were eventually all out in the penultimate over of the game for 119. Heath was the only other batsman to reach double figures with 14. Watson completed a man-of-the-match performance with 4-31 off 10, with Patrick Andrews (2-24 off 9) continuing his recent good form with the four-piece.

Bellbird ended defending premiers Mulbring's quest for a sixth straight title with a 16-run victory in a low-scoring affair at Mulbring Oval.

A delayed start reduced the match to 35 overs per side, with Bellbird asked to bat first after losing the toss.

The inaugural Coalfields Cup champions battled hard for the 35 overs, but were restricted to 9-87. Opener and season leading run-scorer Jason Orr led the way with 34, with Nic Siers playing a vital role at the death with 26no. Mulbring skipper Cameron Ross was near unplayable with his left arm spinners, taking 4-11 off 8 overs, with openers Zach Sneesby (2-17 off 9) and Ben Neaves (2-26 off 9) taking a brace of wickets each.

The home side were reeling at 4-8 early on, but all-rounder Neaves got the shaky ship heading back in the right direction with a well-made run-a-ball 37. Unfortunately, he struggled to get anyone else to hang around with him, with Chad Lewis (10) the only other batsman to provide any sort of resistance. Tigers new-ballers Zach Kronholm (4-9) and Scott Miller (2-11) picked up the vital wickets of the strong Marlins' top order to take the Bellbird Club into the decider.

Chelmsford Hotel will take on Wine Country in second grade, Bellbird clash with Wine Country Blue in third grade, with Bellbird Maroon taking on Chelmsford Hotel in fourth grade.

Second Grade

Chelmsford Hotel 4/62 (Gundeep Gill 24, Jakob Bartley 17, Lachlan Marino 3-22 off 4 defeated Bellbird 10/60 (Pat Cagney 34, Matt Fairlie, Beau Lantry 4-17 off 6.2, Arron Follan 3-12 off 7).

Wine Country vs Greta/Branxton at Allandale washed out.

Third Grade

Bellbird 10/138 (Daniel Attewell 42, Aaron Duffie 28, Mark Scott 11no, Alessandro Ganino 3-10 off 4, Kaiden Howson 2-17 off 6.2, Tyler Wade 2-18 off 6) defeated Wine Country White 10/78 (Scott Purser 19, Bailey Vanlaarhoven 17, Clint Starkey 5-16 off 8, Rob Clark 2-20 off 7, Mark Scott 2-29 off 8).

Wine Country Blue 9/136 (Eain Harris 35, Jason McMichael 29no, Stephen Hedger 25, Noah McNamara 2-18 off 6, Jamie McNamara 2-30 off 9, Nathan Velt 2-17 off 6, Aaron Stephenson 2-20 off 3) defeated Greta/Branxton 10/115 (Adam Kerry 31, Lewis Jacobs 21, Tanveer Singh 19, Jamie McNamara 16, Peter Davis 4-17 off 8, Brett Stewart 3-25 off 7.1).

Fourth Grade

Bellbird Maroon 8/93 (Brad Henderson 37, Gavin Kronholm 23no, David Cooper 3-21 off 10, Steve Bedford 2-16 off 10) defeated Bellbird White 10/91 (Steve Bedford 46, Rob Jordan 14, Daniel Orr 3-15 off 10, Brad Henderson 2-41 off 6, Jordan Field 2-1 off 2.0, Heath Cameron 2-14 off 2.4).

Chelmsford Hotel 9/112 (Andrew Wanless 27, Venkat Inakollu 19, Abinandan Sudharsanam 17, Correy Stone 4-18 of 8), Daniel McCann 2-22 off 8, Zach MacBeth 2-53 off 8) defeated Greta/Branxton 9/109 (Doug Engel 42, Sam Dagg 12, Andrew Wanless 4-32 off 7.4, Abinandan Sudharsanam 2-17 off 4).

SENIOR GRAND FINAL FIXTURES (all 12.30pm Saturday start)

First Grade: Greta/Branxton (1st) vs Bellbird (3rd) at East End

Second Grade: Chelmsford Hotel (1st) vs Wine Country (2nd) at Carmichael 1

Third Grade: Wine Country Blue (2nd) vs Bellbird (4th) at Miller 1

Fourth Grade: Bellbird Maroon (1st) vs Chelmsford Hotel (2nd) at Miller 2

FIRST GRADE GRAND FINAL PREVIEW

Greta/Branxton vs Bellbird: at East End Oval, 12.30pm Saturday.

Head to head this season: Played 2, Greta/Branxton 1, Bellbird 1.

GRETA/BRANXTON

Last Season: Runner-Up

Captain: Joey Butler

Premierships: Three (2004-05, 2007-08, joint 2013-14).

Key Three: Brent Watson, Joey Butler, Patrick Andrews

X-Factor: Darren Thomson

BELLBIRD

Last Season: 4th, beaten semi-finalists.

Captain: Joey Main

Premierships: Eleven (1930-31, joint 1991-92, 1995-96, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2001-02, 2006-07, 2009-10, joint 2012-13, joint 2013-14, 2014-15).

Key Three: Jason Orr, Joey Barber, Rob Drage

X-Factor: Scott Miller

Bottom Line: This season will see a changing of the guard after Bellbird knocked off five-time consecutive defending champions Mulbring in a low-scoring semi-final affair at Mulbring Oval last weekend. This premiership will also be a considerably significant one, as it is more than likely the final time the Ross Smith Memorial Shield will be played for, with the success of the half season Coalfields Cup competition more than likely to develop into a full season next time around.

These two teams last met in the 2013-14 decider, however unfortunately both days of the scheduled grand final were washed out, and both teams had to settle for a hollow joint premiership. The teams have met twice this season, with Coalfields Cup champions Bellbird accounting for Greta/Branxton comfortably at Miller Park the first time around. The Blues turned the tide by getting one back on the Tigers a fortnight ago with a comfortable win at Carmichael Park.

Bellbird will look to competition leading run-scorer Jason Orr to lead the way with the bat, with Zach Kronholm and Scott Miller spear heading their attack.

Greta/Branxton will look to skipper Joey Butler, Nathan Holz and Josh Dagg to provide the runs, with in-form bowlers Brent Watson and Darren Thomson to take early wickets.

The Ross Smith Shield will go into the trophy cabinet for keeps after this Saturday, and all cricket fans across the district are encouraged to get to East End Oval to witness what should be a great finale to the season with little separating the two sides.