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A Rochester derby will decide the inaugural Goulburn Murray Cricket premiership after Rochester Tigers and Rochester United won their respective preliminary finals yesterday.

The Tigers defeated Moama by six wickets at Windridge Oval, surpassing the visitors’ day one total of 205 to be 4/209 in the 54th over.

Moama won the toss and elected to bat, with GMC medallist Ralph Siede (41) and James Alcorn (14) putting on a 43-run opening stand before Brad Major (2/57) bowled Alcorn.

Siede followed his partner to the rooms 25 runs later, when he became Tim Maxfield’s first scalp, only for Moama captain Cam Parker (7) to follow him the next over and the visitors were 3/69.

Young gun Joel Murphy stood tall to add 29 runs to the total batting at number five, but Andrew Good’s leg spin ensured the middle-order did not settle at the crease, taking the wickets of Parker, Murphy and Jade Bennett (18).

Adam Ward (2/34) then removed the dangerous Kirk Teasdale for six and James Scambler the next ball as Moama lost 3/0 to be 8/135.

A gutsy last-wicket partnership by Graeme Mitchell (56 not out) and Jack Harland (8) dinted the Tigers’ momentum as the visitors managed a respectable total to be all out for 205 in the 88th over.

It was Mitchell’s highest score in just his fourth A grade match of the season, while Good’s figures of 4/34 from 24 overs his run of good performances.

Tigers captain Grant Wachter (1/21) was the only other wicket-taker for the home side.

The hot conditions returned on day two, but that did not worry Tigers’ openers Daniel Major (25) and Maxfield (54), who combined for a rapid 50-run partnership.

Maxfield proved why he was the league’s dominant batsman, bringing up his fourth half-century of the season.

Major was the first wicket to tumble when he was caught by McFadden off Siede (2/51), but that only brought the A grade cricketer of the season Ward to the crease.

The number three and Maxfield added another 44 runs to the scoreboard before Ward (29) became Side’s second victim.

The run rate did not let up as the Tigers continued to pile on the runs, but two wickets in one over to Harland (2/19) gave the visitors new life, snaring the wickets of Maxfield and Sean Williams (0).

The home side was 4/114 needing 92 runs for victory.

The scenario did not trouble Brad Major and Adrian Tuddenham, who each recorded 44 not out as they combined for 95 runs to guide the Tigers to victory.

It was Tuddenham’s highest score with the bat this season, hitting six boundaries to match Major’s six.

Ward, who was a key player in the side’s win, was always confident the side could reach 200.

‘‘We knew if we got off to a good start (yesterday), which we did, that we’d probably make the runs and as it panned out we did it in 53 overs.

‘‘We watched the way they went about it (on Saturday). They were very slow with their batting and didn’t attack our bowling as much as we’d thought.’’

Ward said the top order was intent on playing loose balls instead of grinding out a victory.

The last time the Tigers’ contested a grand final was in the 2007-08 Campaspe Cricket Association season, losing by four wickets to Moama.

Ward said it was a significant occasion for the Tigers to qualify for the grand final, particularly after the club almost folded a couple of years ago.

Parker was understandably disappointed with his side’s exit but conceded Moama was ‘‘comprehensively beaten’’ by a better team across the two days.

‘‘Our bowling for mine was indifferent to our how we’ve bowled all season,’’ he said.

‘‘But in saying that we didn’t have enough runs on the board to start. We probably needed another 60 to 80.’’

Parker said the Tigers’ batsmen were barely tempted to play their shots, labelling Moama’s bowling as ‘‘wayward’’.

But he still found praise for the last-wicket partnership on day one between Mitchell and Harland.

‘‘We had a good start, but poor shot selection let us down on the first day,’’ Parker said.

‘‘Their bowlers bowled great lines, there were just too many wrong decisions by our batsmen.

‘‘Without that last partnership we would’ve had our tails between our legs coming into (yesterday).’’

The captain said it was disappointing not to reach the grand final, but the side would move on.

He acknowledged Moama needed to make bigger scores to record more wins, but overall said he enjoyed his first season with the club and the new competition.