They only snuck into fourth spot on net run rate, but now they're there Queanbeyan believe they can do some damage.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Bluebaggers will face the ladder-leading Western District-UC in one of the semi-finals of the Cricket ACT Twenty20 Cup, while Tuggeranong Valley will take on Weston Creek Molonglo in the other - both to be played on February 9.
Queanbeyan got there with an emphatic seven-wicket win over North Canberra-Gungahlin in the second game of the day.
Having kept Norths to 8-106, they flew past the total in just 12.5 overs to hold ANU out of the top four.
But captain Mark Solway said their effort to minimise the damage in their morning loss to Tuggeranong had been the key. They finished 6-171 when chasing 2-191.
"We probably haven't played our best cricket throughout the T20 so pretty happy to scrape through and get in the four because in T20s it's anyone's game really on the day," Solway said.
"It only takes a couple of blokes to fire and all of a sudden you've won. So definitely good to get through."
While ANU's two wins - beating Norths with a Trent Pollard six off the last ball and defending 8-122 against Ginninderra - wasn't enough to squeeze past Queanbeyan into the top four, they finished equal on points and skipper Beniamin Mitchell was confident finals cricket was just around the corner.
"I think it's disappointing to miss the semi, but in the context of having such a young side and where we're going, moving forward we are definitely improving," Mitchell said.
"It would've been nice to make the semis, but we showed today we're definitely an improving side.
"Our 17-19-year-olds are improving and they're good enough to be at this level.
"So there's finals cricket to come, whether it's this year or not, we're definitely heading in the right direction."
AT A GLANCE
Weston Creek Molonglo 136 bt Ginninderra 8-103
Western District-UC 4-103 bt Eastlake 7-100
ANU 5-157 bt North Canberra-Gungahlin 6-153
Tuggeranong Valley 2-191 bt Queanbeyan 6-171
Tuggeranong Valley 9-187 bt Eastlake 7-94
Queanbeyan 3-107 bt North Canberra-Gungahlin 8-106
Western District-UC 4-147 bt Weston Creek Molonglo 8-145
ANU 8-122 bt Ginninderra 6-116