Eastern Suburbs and Karori will meet in next weekend’s Dominion Post Premier final after a dramatic final day’s play of the season saw Easts, Karori and Taita all register outright wins, only for Taita to miss out by less than a point.

It was heartbreak for Taita after they did all they could to qualify for the final by completing a punishing victory over neighbours Naenae Old Boys early on in the day and then having to endure an anxious wait for news that Easts and Karori had also won their games outright against Upper Hutt and Hutt District respectively and pipped them for first and second place.

In the end it was an agonisingly close finish to the season, with just a fraction more than two points separating the three contenders at the end, seven-time defending champions Easts grabbing top spot on 106.89 points ahead of second placed Karori on 105.49 and the unlucky Taita on 104.64.

Taita defeated Naenae by an innings and 44 runs. Resuming at 41 for 4 and needing 53 runs to make Taita bat again, Naenae lost six wickets for nine runs in 6.1 overs and were all out for 50. Matt Pepper had figures of 5 for 0 off 3.1 overs on Saturday to give him 8-18 in the innings and 11 for 36 in the match.

At Barton Oval, Easts dismissed Upper Hutt for 34 in their second innings to register a comfortable 234-run win and also make the final. Lance Dry took 4 for 5, Roger Fouhy 3 for 3 and Australian Steve Spoljaric 2 for 8 in Upper Hutt’s second innings.

Previously, Easts set Upper Hutt 287 to win off 64 overs after Spoljaric made an unbeaten 157 and Ricky Joseph 49 in their second innings of 273 for 8. For Upper Hutt Jason McKenzie tool 6 for 60.

At the Hutt Recreation Ground, Karori and Hutt had started the day all square. Hutt were soon in trouble at 66 for 6 before Matt Kennedy (43) and Dave Twigg (57) carried their second innings to 164. Lee Edwards took 5 for 33.

This meant that Karori needed 155 to win, to make the final and if they reached that target for the loss of lost three wickets or fewer they would be top qualifier. They had an opening stand of 56 but the rain caused a stoppage.

They got back on but then lost five wickets in reaching their target. Stephen Murdoch made 68 off 64 balls. So after everything Taita had missed out by just 0.86 of a point.

The final Premier match saw Onslow and North City have a draw, the highlight being Sam Foley making 95.

In the Dominon Post Senior competition leaders Johnsonville completed an 8-wicket win over bottom side Wainuiomata.  Ryan Isaac had career best figures of 5 for 51.

Three other sides, University, Taita and Wellington College could all join Johnsonville in the final if they could secure outright wins.

Collegians batted all day against University getting 203 for 8, Damian Grant making 52.

Taita were thwarted by the rain at North City, while Wellington College came closest to the win against Petone-Riverside. College made 301 for 8 with Sam Lawson getting 60 and Mark Hewson taking 6 for 53. This gave the students a lead of 150. Petone-Riverside made 161 for 9 with Tom Hyslop making 89. However they came off for rain and then resumed when Petone had lost seven wickets but bad light was offered at the fall of the ninth wicket.

So after a drama filled day University join Johnsonville in the Senior final, also to be played at the Petone Recreation Ground.