Brisbane Heat have kept their slim chances of making the Twenty20 Big Bash League finals alive after a 12-run win over the Melbourne Renegades at Etihad Stadium on Thursday.
A 72-run stand between man of the match Daniel Vettori (40 off 25) and Roelof van der Merwe (36) helped Heat to 7-168 after they had slumped to 5-74 having elected to bat first.
Shahid Afridi took 3-35 and had initially put Heat on the back foot in the encounter.
The competitive target was good enough against a Renegades side that lost wickets at regular intervals in their chase.
Aaron Finch (72 off 46), who smashed three fours and five sixes, looked capable of helping the hosts to victory, but he was run out and the Renegades finished with 9-156 from their 20 overs.
Pace duo Alister McDermott (3-18) and Michael Neser (3-31) were the pick of the Heat bowlers.
The Renegades, opening with Brad Hodge and Shahid Afridi, slumped to 1-7 when the Victorian was bowled by Dan Christian (1-21).
Afridi departed after a quick-fire 26 off 14, while captain Andrew McDonald (seven) also fell at the hands of McDermott.
When Neser removed Nathan Reardon (five) and Abdul Razzaq (one), the Renegades were struggling at 5-91.
Glenn Maxwell, batting despite a knee injury suffered while fielding, fell for 10 when he skied a catch to Peter Forrest at mid-off.
Finch and Graham Manou steadied, with the former given a life when Chris Lynn was forced to throw what would have been a catch back into the field of play, missing a team-mate.
Needing 35 off the last three overs, the dangerous Finch fell on the last ball of the 18th over when he was run our brilliantly by Andrew Robinson.
Searching for a second run to take strike, Finch departed when Robinson produced a brilliant direct hit after Manou had hit a drive down the ground.
Shane Harwood was run out and McDermott bowled Aaron Heal first ball as the Heat recorded a hard-fought win.
Earlier, Heat looked to be in serious trouble when they were reduced to 5-74.
Dirk Nannes (1-34) cleaned up opener Robinson's off-stump, before Maxwell took a great catch diving forward to remove Matthew Hayden (28) off Aaron Heal (1-21).
It was Afridi who turned the innings on its head, taking three wickets in four balls.
Lynn (34) was the first of the Pakistani's victims, thanks to a superb catch from Manou behind the stumps.
Forrest went next ball, clean bowled after a wrong-un from the leg-spinner.
Christian survived Afridi's hat-trick ball, but he was trapped in front while trying to play to the on-side off the back foot.
Yet, despite having Heat firmly on the ropes, the Renegades gave up 64 runs in the last five overs - largely because of Vettori and van der Merwe - and were always behind in their chase despite Finch's best efforts.
