Noorat will be the SWC representative at the lucrative interassociation Sungold Cup this month after claiming the tournament by default.

The defending champion was due to play Terang in the final, the last match of the knockout tournament staged across the weekend.

But rain forced umpires to call off the match without a ball being bowled. Officials crowned Noorat the winner courtesy of its better finish last season.

Secretary Grant Myers said the SWC executive would add a reserve day to the calendar for next season.

But Terang captain Ben Grinter was unfazed about the turn of events, saying the washout was “just cricket”.

“It happens. There’s no reserve weekend in place, we can’t do anything about it,” Grinter said.

“We’re into January now. How often do you see a rain-affected January match? 

“If they put one in it’d be beneficial if this happens again. But the chances of this happening again are pretty slim. 

“It’s just how it works out. We were pretty lucky to go through to the final in the first place.”

Terang rode its luck to the decider, defeating Mortlake by five runs in a semi-final courtesy of the Duckworth-Lewis system.

The Bloods were 4-100 and needed 16 off the last 15 balls to eclipse the Cats’ 9-115 when rain intervened.

Noorat defeated Pomborneit by one run in the other semi-final.

Noorat made 7-138 batting first, thanks to Shane Hutchins (57) and Mark Clissold (33) who dug the side out of a hole.

Pomborneit was 6-137 and needing two to win off the last ball. But Steve Murphy was bowled by Warren Attrill.

Clissold also executed a direct-hit run out to remove Matt Bignell (21), which also turned the match. 

Tim Place made 63 in the run chase.

Noorat skipper Wil Pomorin said he would have preferred to play the grand final, rather than win by default.

“We were lucky in the end but unlucky to get washed out,” he said.

Pomorin said Noorat “just scraped through” in the semi-final.

“I’m going to say Pombo are a bit unlucky. It could’ve gone either way. It was a good game of cricket to play in,” he said.

afawkes@fairfaxmedia.com.au