The Hoppers scored only 126 and looked unlikely to defend their crown when Albury posted a 54-run opening stand.

However, the home team lost 10-75, including the last three wickets for only two runs, to finish a run short.

"Once we got that run out, that's when we thought if we can knock over another one here, you've never out of it," North captain Brendan Simmons said.

"It's definitely the closest final I've played, I can't recall defending a lower score than that."

Zimbabwean international Innocent Kaia and last week's star Alex Popko's half-century opening stand had Albury on target to win through to the grand final in its first finals campaign since 2007-08.

But Popko (15) fell to North coach and left-arm off-spinner Tim Hartshorn and then Brandon Purtell claimed the crucial wicket of the association's best bat Kaia for 38.

"He played a defensive shot, it cut off the wicket and through the gate," Simmons said.

"They're all big moments in the game but, to get his wicket, he's such a dominant batsman."

A 42-run stand between No.3 Kade Brown and Englishman Louis Botes pushed Albury to within sight of victory at 4-109 before Brown (38) fell to paceman Haydyn Roberts.

Albury crawled its way to 6-116 when Purtell landed a critical blow, running out Botes for a patient nine.

Striker Jerim Hayes hit the ball to backward square leg and Purtell hit the stumps from side-on.

"It was unreal, it really got the boys up and about," Simmons said.

Suddenly, North was a genuine chance, although Adam McLennan relieved some pressure with a boundary.

He fell at 8-123 and Styles followed at 9-125.

Although Albury still needed two runs for victory, as the higher-ranked team, it would have moved through to the grand final with a single and tied result.

And some thought, momentarily, it had that elusive run in the second last over.

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Roberts bowled a full toss and umpire Ken Brooks looked across to square leg umpire Raj Kapor, who had three fingers pointed to his hip to indicate three balls left.

However, Brooks thought he meant no-ball for a ball above the hip and indicated that before conferring with Kapor as the no-ball, and therefore the match-winning run, was quickly reversed.

In the next over, Hayes hit the ball to square leg where Purtell took a diving catch to complete the fightback.