The Perth Scorchers won their fourth KFC T20 Big Bash League match in a row on Sunday, defeating the Adelaide Strikers by 42 runs.
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After they won the toss and chose to bat at the WACA, the Scorchers blasted 5-184 from their 20 overs thanks to the efforts of openers Marcus North (70) and Herschelle Gibbs (65).
In response, Adelaide openers Michael Klinger (32) and Daniel Harris (31) got starts but no one else chipped in as Brad Hogg (3-20) played a key role in dismissing the Strikers for 142.
The result saw Perth consolidate second spot on the table and they are now a big chance to host a semi-final.
The Strikers needed to make a lightning start to their run-chase and they did, scoring 48 from the first 27 balls of their innings.
The likes of Ben Edmonson (1-38) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (2-28) came in for some stick but it was the former who clean bowled Harris at a vital time in the innings.
Adam Crosthwaite (five) was caught at mid-wicket in the next over off the bowling of Coulter-Nile and Callum Ferguson fell for the same score when Luke Ronchi produced a terrific leg-side stumping to give Michael Beer (1-22) a wicket.
With Klinger and Tom Cooper - who has been impressive in the tournament so far - at the crease, Adelaide always had a chance but the superb Hogg removed both of them in the same over.
Klinger's dismissal was another leg-side stumping while Cooper's attempted slog saw him caught by Edmonson at deep square leg and the wickets kept falling as Cameron Borgas (15), Brendan Drew (10), Daniel Salpietro (one), Aaron O'Brien (13) and Alfonso Thomas (7) were all dismissed cheaply.
Hogg was involved everywhere, running out Borgas by deflecting a return shot as he was bowling while he trapped Salpietro in front lbw for his third scalp.
Nathan Rimmington (2-18) finished off the Strikers as Perth celebrated yet another win.
Earlier, Perth set up their victory with a simply brilliant start as Gibbs and North added 102 runs for the first wicket from 68 deliveries.
The South African set the tone as he whacked three fours from Drew (1-37) in the second over of the innings and he repeated the dose just moments later, hitting Adelaide spinner Salpietro (0-37) for two fours and a six.
Gibbs was making the most of the early fielding restrictions as he continued to swing his bat but North received a reprieve in the sixth over when James Muirhead dropped a gettable chance at square leg off the bowling of Drew.
Perth ended the six-over powerplay with 55 runs but it did not slow them as Gibbs took Harris (0-15) for three fours in the ninth over and he added a couple more in the 11th before he was finally dismissed by Muirhead (2-37).
The 18-year-old leg spinner produced some late dip which was enough to have Gibbs caught at long-off by Borgas, leaving North to pick up the slack which he did with ease.
Mitchell Marsh (10) had his short stay at the crease ended when he feathered the ball to Adelaide wicketkeeper Crosthwaite off the bowling of Drew and Muirhead snared his second wicket in the next over.
It came at a cost though as Englishman Paul Collingwood hit 18 runs, including two sixes, from the first four balls of the 18th over before he was caught by Cooper at long-on.
North had his 52-ball 70 ended in bizarre circumstances as he was run out attempting a second after Drew had dropped him in the deep, and Luke Ronchi was caught at deep cover off the first ball he faced.
Simon Katich (15 not out) chipped in with handy runs late in the piece as the Scorchers reached 184, a score that proved to be far too much for their opponents.
