Hamilton will host the Hawke Cup final in 12 days time after Hamilton held out a determined Canterbury Country bid for victory in today's semi-final and after Hawke's Bay beat Bay of Plenty in Napier.

All the elements of Hawke Cup cricket were obvious in Hamilton's close shave for first innings points.

Defending 380 scored in their first innings, Hamilton saw Canterbury Country reach 330/5, 25 minutes before lunch.

But Ben Winslade caused some significant mayhem with his fast-medium bowling to see four wickets fall before the lunch break.

He broke the 233-run fifth wicket partnership between Harley James and Peter Fulton. James was out for 120 while Fulton also went before the break for 119 when the score was 343/7.

The ninth wicket fell just after the lunch break at 348, and then the grind began as Danny Bulman and Struan George put on 26 runs in 67 minutes of nail-biting Hawke Cup batting.

But again it was Winslade who made the breakthrough. He bowled only the one over straight after lunch, and then was re-introduced as Canterbury Country got closer to the mark.

He broke the last pair to have Canterbury Country all out for 374, six runs short of Hamilton's 380. He finished with six for 83 off 24.5 overs.

In Napier, Hawke's Bay had a 127-run first innings lead and then dismissed Bay of Plenty for 194.

Matthew Shortt scored 77 and Graeme Aldridge 33 not out for Bay of Plenty. Left-arm medium pacer Charles Fraser took 3/58 while off spinner Paul Whitaker took 3/17 and Taraia Robin 2/62.

Hawke's Bay were left needing to score 68 for the outright win and at two for 12 were in a little trouble.

However, Jeff Lusk backed up his first innings effort and scored 29, Richard Kinnear scored 20 and Craig Findlay was 11 not out. Niven Aldridge took 3/17 with his off spinners while Graeme Aldridge took 2/32 as Hawke's Bay made 71/5.

© CricInfo