The host won the toss and elected to bat first in an attempt to take the game away from Nondies with an insurmountable total.
It did just that.
Despite losing an early wicket in Josh Cairns (6) off Jake Klemm’s bowling, the Lions’ top order wasn’t fazed, with plenty of big hitting to score quickly.
Fellow opener Kyle Humphrys and captain Regis Chakabva were explosive with the bat and runs began to flow early for BLU.
The pair put on an 81-run partnership in just 10 overs to propel the Lions to 102 at the halfway mark.
However, Chakabva’s entertaining 54 that included reverse sweeps and ramp shots came to a close when Kyeran Ellery trapped him lbw.
Yet, the runs just kept on coming.
Number four Milton Shumba got in on the runs early and wasted no time playing his shots.
In just three overs, Shumba put on 35 for the host before he was caught trying to take on Ellery who got his second wicket via the hands of Sam O’Shea.
In a disastrous over for BLU, new bat Luke Thompson (1) survived just two balls before getting bowled, Ellery securing his third.
After a 10-ball over by Darren Rushton in which he went for 16 runs, including seven wide runs, Sam O’Shea bounced back and secured the wickets of Savith Weerasinghe (2) and Shumba (35).
Controversy in the 19th over saw Liam Hamilton run out before delivery by Shaun Haffenden for three, with Lucas Holgate (nine not out) and Noah Turner (four not out) seeing out the remaining balls.
BLU set Nondies a challenging 197 with the visitors needing almost 10 an over for the championship.
Despite Nondies getting off to a strong start, scoring 12 runs off the first over, Jake Klemm was force to retire hurt for seven at the beginning of the fourth over.
This opened the floodgates for BLU as Thomas Dicker claimed two wickets, Darren Rushton (1) and Will O’Shea (0) in the following over.
Clearly desperate for runs, four players throughout Nondies’ innings were run out including Zeb Ellwood (1), Angus Donat (5), Matt Noonan (12) and Aiden Konopka (1).
Sam O’Shea (19) was the only player for the visitor that scored more than 15 with Matt Noonan’s 12 the only other double-digit score.
Ultimately, Nondies was all out in the 18th over, putting on just 62 in the final, handing the Lions a resounding championship victory by 135 runs.
With the T20 championship under BLU’s belt, the Lions will turn their attention to climbing the ranks of the McMahon Shield as they currently sit in seventh on the same number of points as L-G and Echuca South.
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