Ward, who top-scored with 55 runs in the first innings, sustained the injury keeping, eventually leaving the field to ensure he did not do further damage – Dylan Achison taking the gloves.

Mounties captain Darcy Thomson said the club would assess the extent of the damage, but he expected Ward to play through the pain in the biggest match of the year.

"It’s going to be hard work for him to bat, but he’s in good form, hopefully he can push through the pain for us,” Thomson said.

“We’d have to assess how bad it is, but I think it’s a grand final and he should push through it – he’s the kind of guy that would push through it.”

Experienced all-rounder Darren Fletcher also played under duress.

Fletcher is working his way through a calf injury following the weekend’s play.

In a “fair bit of grief” on Saturday, Fletcher made 47 and then bowled 11 overs on Sunday.

Thomson said the former skipper would be right to play, but was devoting this week to recovery.

Thomson said while his side lost firsts innings points and trails by 55 runs, nearing the completion of the Pointies firsts innings, it was crucial the batting order lifted in order to put the pressure on Golden Point.

Ward aside, Mt Clear’s top six batsmen could only muster 10 runs between it. But Thomson said the damage was done in the field as the Mounties put down eight chances.

“To be honest, 190 should’ve been enough on that wicket, it was our fielding that really let us down.

“We got seven wickets but we had eight more chances...some were hard, but five of them should’ve been taken.

“Any day you create 15 chances and don’t take them, you’re going to be chasing a big score and in the grand final, it just hurts more.

“We know if we get a good lead we can put the pressure on them, we can create enough chances, we just have to take them.”