The Crabs, defending 9-284, dismissed Yambuk for 67 in 47.2 overs on Saturday as the Grassmere Cricket Association (GCA) A grade game seemed to be heading to a predictable first-innings result.

Even with time lost to rain, Yambuk, which batted two players short in the second innings, appeared to be safe from suffering a crushing outright loss.

But Crabs coach Peter Hickey threw the ball to leg-spinner Joel Henry in the hope of flighting up a few deliveries that might tempt some shots from the defence-minded Yambuk batsmen.

With six overs remaining for the day and the weather closing in again, Killarney needed five wickets. Henry, in the third-last over of the match, then took three wickets in five balls. 

Henry bowled the last over and had a chance dropped on the boundary before a defensive prod looped up a catch on the second-last ball to give the Crabs maximum points. Henry finished with figures of 4-19 from 5.5 overs as Yambuk was dismissed for 46.

The Crabs enter this weekend’s final round match against ladder-leader Panmure in third spot, just 1.05 points, or five second-innings wickets, behind second-placed Purnim.

“We didn’t expect to get an outright,” Hickey said.

“We thought we would go in to the final round five or six points shy of Purnim and that’s outright territory to pick that up and you aren’t going to pick that up. But this has put us right in the mix. 

“We’ve got Panmure. You never do anything but try and compete against them. You wouldn’t try and pencil in a second innings-type result. I think we will fall just short. 

“A month ago it was more about us getting good form and getting to the finals in as good form as we could. 

“It would be nice to get that extra point and get above (Panmure), but you would have to say we are long-odds to do that.”

Purnim kept ahead of Killarney thanks to its seven-wicket win over Grassmere, reaching 4-172 in reply to the Meerkats’ 153. Opener Dallas Armitstead made an unbeaten 102 before the Bulls picked up two second innings wickets during a rain interrupted day.

Hawkesdale guaranteed its first semi-final appearance in three seasons after locking away fourth spot on Saturday.

The Cats successfully chased down fifth-placed Wangoom’s 117, reaching 9-179 with five players making between 25 and 37. That result ended Wangoom’s hopes of climbing above the Cats.

They will play the semi-final against Panmure, which consolidated its grip on top spot with an outright thumping of Mailors Flat, reaching 0-100 in its second innings to complete the rout.