Success - a draw with one wicket in hand - booked the Hawks a semi-final against ladder leader Wendouree next week.

In a showdown for fourth spot, this Golden Point-East Ballarat clash at Eastern Oval was the only Ballarat Cricket Association club firsts match to hit the field between showers on Saturday.

A heartbroken Point was left to rue another season shut down in the final round.

East had been on 4-15 and chasing 113 heading into day two action, but rain early in the afternoon created a whole new ball game.

The match reverted to a 37-over minimum and, starting from 3.30pm, all the Hawks had to do was stay at the crease for an intense 2sfr1/2 hour bombardment to keep top-four footing.

Captain, Simon Irving, held the order together as Point chipped away.

When the Hawks survived, a relieved Irving raised his bat to salute his team-mates on the boundary.

"That's all it was - relief," Irving said.

"I'd been concentrating hard and it was just pure relief to get through when you're playing for a semi-final."

Pitch dramas marred the contest early in the day when Point arrived to find the wicket flooded.

Point managed to mop up the damage and was left anxious to get on in enough time for a chance at victory - East was hoping it would keep raining.

Irving said that with good drainage at the ground, his team knew there was no choice but to play when showers eased.

When the time came to trek out to the crease, their plan was simple: Defend.

Irving urged his batsmen to remain focussed.

Young Hawk Peter Colbourne fell almost immediately by a ball from Point veteran Steve O'Loughlin, who had wiped out the top order with a hat-trick on day one.

Chris Gardner was O'Loughlin's next casualty. By the final hour's play, Point needed four scalps.

At 5.11pm, Rob Ryan was caught out and by 5.29pm experienced bat Carl Haseloff was gone.

All-rounder Michael Kuiper was caught behind at 5.48pm and marked O'Loughlin's sixth wicket.

Point fieldsmen tightened ranks in close with about eight balls left to try and oust Yousuf Aleem.

He refused to yield.

Irving said play was not pretty, but his team had done just enough to get the job done.

"That's what we did and that's what we've been doing all season - we're no world beaters, but everything's going well," Irving said.

"It wasn't a win, we had a draw, but I couldn't care less whether it was by one wicket.

"We're in the finals and that's what you play for. We look forward to playing the Red Caps next week."