Green Island went into the clash against second-placed Albion with a six-point lead over its Culling Park rival.
With six points up for grabs for a win, Green Island would - at worst - share the title.
But as drinks came on to the field during Albion's innings, with the visiting side going along quite nicely, Dion Lobb wondered if that would be Green Island's lot.
Lobb, who captained the Swamp Rats for the second half of the season, thought they had enough to defend when they reached 153 from 43.2 overs.
''In club cricket, if you get 120 to 200 runs, you're always in the game and with the bowling attack we've got, we thought it may be enough,'' Lobb said.
That did not appear to be the case as Albion overcame a shaky start thanks to Jamie Glenn (27) and Mark Somerville (48).
''We were pretty much gone [at drinks], but we stuck at it,'' Lobb said.
''We knew if we could get a wicket, we might get two or three and it would be game on again.''
Otago Volts seamer Blair Soper had taken two early wickets, and he came back to haunt Albion. The seamer took the last five wickets to fall, to finish with match figures of seven for 41 as Albion was bundled out for 128, 25 runs short.
''He [Soper] has finally realised that if he bowls full in club cricket, he will be too good for most club batsmen with the way he swings it and the speed he bowls at,'' Lobb said.
Green Island's innings was equally as precarious as Albion's at the start, as the home side teetered at four for two before Hamish Rutherford (16), Jesse Ryder (39) and Mark Joyce (64) steadied the ship.`It was quite a dewy outfield,'' Lobb said.
''We were going all right, but then we just seemed to lose wickets in clumps.''
Experience might have helped on Saturday, and it had been a key factor throughout the season, Lobb said.
''There's probably five or six guys who have played over 150 games each and then you sprinkle that with the young guys who keep the old guys young, and it's just a good mix of talent.''
Kaikorai, University-Grange and Taieri won the other games played on Saturday.
Kaikorai ended its season on a high with a four-wicket win over Carisbrook-Dunedin at Tonga Park.
Carisbrook-Dunedin started well with the bat before the loss of Sean and Kieran Eathorne and Tony McEntyre in the space of eight runs slowed the home side's momentum.
Brad Rodden top-scored with 57, but he struggled for support, as Jackson Latham (three for 37) and Hamish Robertson (three for 33) took the majority of the wickets to dismiss Carisbrook Dunedin for 141.
Geordie Scott (45 not out) led the way for Kaikorai in response after opener George Thomas (31) set the platform, as Kaikorai reached the total in the 35th over.
Sam Wells was the star at the University Oval as University-Grange beat North East Valley by 29 runs.
Wells compiled 84 before being one of Jamie Murley's six victims in University-Grange's innings of 219, then took three for 41 as he and Jesse Simpson (three for 29) helped dismiss North East Valley for 190.
Taieri eked out 150 in 59.5 overs at Brooklands, which proved to be just enough to beat Otago Boys', which was all out for 142 in response.
Dwayne Weir's 31 was the best effort for the home team, with Will Kindley (five for 38) the best of the schoolboy bowlers.
Kindley scored 22 at the top of the order to lead the Otago Boys' chase, but tight bowling from Jack Hunter (three for 34) and Brad Frost (four for 25) ensured the schoolboys came up eight runs short.
Club cricket
The points
Bing Harris Shield: Green Island 99, Albion 87, Carisbrook-Dunedin 85, Kaikorai 79, North East Valley 56, University-Grange 45, Taieri 26, Otago Boys' High School 20.
Declaration competition: Green Island 84, Albion 78, Kaikorai 68, University-Grange 62, North East Valley 55, Carisbrook-Dunedin 51, Taieri 24, Otago Boys' High School 21.
