South Launceston has set about for a third year running a final showdown with minor premiers Westbury in a battle for Cricket North supremacy.
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The Knights in the process shutdown Launceston's winning run through 2019 in the preliminary final on Sunday.
Captain Tom Waller said South came out a rejuvenated side that was five wickets away from an outright defeat in the corresponding game.
"It was very pleasing just to knock them off on their home turf," he said.
"Even more pleasing for us that we were touched up a fair bit last week against them.
"It showed that we learnt from our mistakes and we were able to stick to our plans. It was good practice for next week, but those grand finals are a funny game."
Launceston has racked up at least 330 in its previous two times to the middle, but failed to get past 260 at the NTCA ground. The Lions were bundled out for 201.
"It was a really great effort from the boys; they just toiled so hard all day," Waller said.
"Our four quick bowlers were the only bowlers we used too, which shows how well they worked as a team."
But it was Jackson Young who stood out with the ball, displayed by pleased teammates pushing the change bowler to the front of the pack to clap him off.
Young made the initial breakthrough after ending a 53-run partnership before in the afternoon, changing the outlook of the final with a 6-46 performance off 19 overs.
"It was absolutely his best-ever for the club," Waller said. "He took that first wicket and he just kept coming.
"Other weeks it has been Joshy [Freestone], but this week it was Jacko."
South repeatedly killed off Launceston's momentum.
Young picked up Lachie Newland's wicket for 26 from 73 balls off the last delivery before midday drinks.
Launceston put on a further 32 runs and reached 2-103 before Ben Humphrey's near two-hour vigil came to the end from Josh Freestone in a team-best 38 off 97 balls.
Tom Bennett was sent for 19 in the next over of Freestone to finish with 2-51.
T20 openers Alistair Taylor and Zac Oldenhof brought the Lions back in the game.
They built a 45-run stand for the fifth wicket at nearly four an over and had the hosts on track at 4-152.
Both men fell for 25 off 53 balls, but Taylor's was the prized scalp after the 23-year-old has been putting together centuries of late.
Young dismissed the pair and ripped apart the tail.
The Lions lost three batsman in the space of 13 balls and the man of the moment had five consecutive wickets.
"Jacko was enormous in that middle session," Waller said, "so he was sort of the difference in the end."
Launceston captain-coach Alistair Taylor conceded to losing "the little battles".
This came after his team hadn't lost in seven games.
"We had thought we could chase the runs down, but unfortunately that was the way it was and we just couldn't get it done," he said.
"We've played pretty well since December, but there was a few key moments that South won those little battles. When you keep winning those little battles, it kind of takes its toll on the boys."