The equation for next Saturday sees the Mounties needing 180 runs with eight wickets in hand.

If Mt Clear can reel in the total it would most likely secure top spot, given it plays bottom-placed Ballarat-Redan in the final round, which would make for a likely semi-final meeting between the two sides.

Napoleons-Sebastopol’s 189 runs will prove a very defendable total and one that seemed a distance away when Naps-Sebas slumped to 4-25 early in its innings.

But a 139-run partnership between Jacob Eyers (70 runs) and Matthew Ringin (59 runs) provided the backbone of the innings as the nine wickets either side of the dominant pair amounted to just 50 runs.

Ringin then struck with the ball, as did Liam Rigby to remove the Mounties openers and have the ladder leader at 2-10 at stumps.

Mt Clear captain Darren Fletcher said he felt the total was definitely within reach and provided a stern test for the group in the lead-up to finals.

“She’s anyone’s game at the moment,” Fletcher said.

“To lose those two was pretty disappointing - but that’s cricket.

“That was crucial for them...when the ball was new it was pretty hard to bat, but as soon as the seam softened up it becomes a lot easier.

“Instead of chasing what could’ve been around 100 was 200 due to those two boys (Eyers and Ringin) efforts.

“We’re quietly confident, we’ll back ourselves to get there. It’s a perfect tester for the lead-in (to finals).”

Fletcher said while this match-up was crucial to the make-up of the final four, he did not think the positions within the four held enormous weight – believing the inform side coming into finals time would be the premier.

“It’s completely open this year, any of the four sides can win it. It doesn’t look like Golden Point are going to get through, so I’d say the four’s pretty settled.

“I don’t think it’ll matter where you finish, it’ll just be whoever is better on the day.

“We’re pretty hell-bent on making sure we win this game and then get ourselves to Ballarat-Redan and go in with good form.”