The Melbourne Stars overcame an early stumble to chase down the Adelaide Strikers' target of 125 to complete the T20 Big Bash finals quartet on Thursday.
The Stars required just 126 to set up an away semi-final with the Perth Scorchers after they bowled out Adelaide in the 20th over, but staggered to 3-38 after Robert Quiney, Liam Wright and Adam Voges fell cheaply.
However, the panic was momentary with David Hussey (41 runs) and Cameron White (28) combining for 64 for the fourth wicket to guide the Stars to a six-wicket win with seven balls remaining.
The pair needed a little over a run a ball but took until Bryce McGain's over in the 15th to regain the ascendancy, taking 13 off the over. White fell the next over but George Bailey took no time in adding 19 and Hussey slog swept Nathan Lyon to deep mid wicket for the winning boundary.
Earlier, Clint McKay took 3-17 from his four overs, including the wickets of Strikers' openers Michael Klinger and Daniel Harris in his first two. That effectively blunted the Strikers and from that point on they failed to fire a shot.
Shane Warne went wicket-less for the Stars but was economical as he conceded just 28 runs off his four overs.
The equation before the match was simple for the Stars - they needed only to win at the MCG to displace the Brisbane Heat and earn a spot in the finals.
The Strikers did them an early favour with their meagre 125 but what seemed like a formulaic task was made to look all the more difficult early by the Stars' top order.
Lyon's incredible gather and reflex throw caught Quiney out of his crease after Wright had smashed it straight back to the bowler. Wright then edged through to the keeper and departed for nine before Voges danced down the wicket in the next over and was stumped.
The home crowd grew restless and the batting order looked jittery before Hussey and White steadied.
The Strikers on the other hand, needed a huge win to leapfrog the Stars and Heat into fourth and started reasonably well in the opening exchanges.
Openers Klinger and Harris steered the ship to 0-32 off the first four overs before the pair both fell to Test hopeful McKay within two overs.
McKay deceived Harris (17 runs) with a slower ball in his first over as White took a comfortable catch and did Klinger in his next over with the same trick.
Klinger (25) popped the ball up to Hussey at mid off, the ball lingered, but the veteran was composed and the Stars were looking good with the score at 2-46.
Aiden Blizzard made just seven and BBL debutatnt James Franklin never looked comfortable before he drove the ball down Quiney's throat at long on for Hussey's first wicket. He made just seven as the Strikers stuttered to 4-80 after 12 overs.
The Strikers then batted themselves out of finals contention, losing their last six wickets for 45 runs.
Callum Ferguson started promisingly and top scored for Adelaide with 41 off 29 deliveries but was afforded no support as the tail fell away for the Strikers to be all out for a meagre 125.
Hussey, James Faulkner and Jackson Bird all claimed a pair of wickets in a solid bowling performance from the Stars.
