Shellharbour squeaked home by three wickets to beat Kiama in a South Coast cricket nail-biter at Scout Willoughby Oval on Saturday.

The loss puts Kiama’s hold on fourth spot in doubt heading into the final two rounds of the men’s first-grade competition.

Cavaliers captain Jaya Hartgerink’s 30 and 37 from Niall Owers lifted the visitors to a modest total of 148 and the Harbour were cruising when they reached a hundred for the loss of just two wickets with Oran Pattison making 50.

But they lost 5-41 before Jim Glazbrook’s unbeaten 31 got them home to claim outright second on the ladder.

North Nowra Cambewarra kept their finals hopes alive by upsetting Bay and Basin by 103 runs at Bernie Regan Sportsground.

Hyeon Parsons belted 61 off 47 and Samuel Neri (49) and captain Nathan Thomas (48) also did well as they amassed 244.

The Dolphins’ top order crumbled to be 4-59 and they were never in the hunt with Cooper Bramley, Parsons and Blake Horton taking three wickets each.

Lake are certain to finish with the minor premiership after Ryan Maguire’s 67-ball 100 and Jake O’Connell’s 53 propelled them to 7-282 against Oak Flats.

Despite half-centuries to skipper Jack Bennett (51) and all-rounder Zaied Bin Khalid (59 not out), the Rats finished well short of their target on 7-198.

Ex Servos have leapt from last to eighth, consigning Albion Park to the wooden spooner spot with a six-wicket win at Hayden Drexel Oval.

The Eagles were bowled out for 161 and the home side chased it down within 30 overs thanks to opener Matthew Higham’s 57 and an unbeaten 38 from Kuldeep Singh rana.

Bomaderry thrashed Kookas 262-142 on the back of opener Luke Jones (67) and Riley Ingram (71) starring with the bat and new-ball duo Peter King (4-34) and Brad Cross (3-33) dominating for the Tigers.

This Saturday, Bomaderry are away to Bay and Basin, Lake host Shellharbour in a top-of-the-table tussle, Kookas face Kiama at Warilla, the Eagles fly south to North Nowra and Ex Servos head north to Oak Flats.

Ladder: Lake 97, Shellharbour 86, Bay and Basin 80, Kiama 76, North Nowra 69, Bomaderry 68, Rats 42, Ex Servos 37, Kookas 36, Park 34.

In the women’s competition, Shellharbour claimed their first win of the season with a 50-run upset over Oak Flats Ratatouilles.

Opening duo Tammie Croker (46) and Pamela Evans (41) blazed away to set up their total of 1-131 from their 20 overs before Oak Flats were restricted to 3-81.

Lake Illawarra won a thriller over Kiama in the battle for fourth spot in the penultimate round.

Lilly Willstrop smashed 36 in their total of 6-114 despite Emma Ford’s haul of 3-16 before Ebony Winston put the Cavettes within striking distance with her unbeaten 51.

But they finished just four runs short of the total to drop to fifth on the ladder with one round remaining.

Ex Servos (5-108) beat the Ratettes in the other game with Nakita Boatswain top-scoring with 47 and Rebecca Carson bagging 3-12 for the Shoalhaven side.

This Friday, the Lakers lock horns with the Ratatouilles at Albion Oval, the Kookas are away to Kiama, and Shellharbour meet Ex Servos and the Ratettes clash with Albion Park in the two Myimbarr fixtures.

Ladder: Kookas 48, Ratettes 30, Ratatouilles 28, Lake 28, Kiama 24, Ex Servos 20, Park 18, Harbour 8.