Handscomb spurs Stars to victory

Melbourne Stars will enter the KFC T20 Big Bash League finals with plenty of momentum after defeating Perth Scorchers at the MCG on Wednesday night, but their thrilling three-wicket win wasn't enough to snare a home final.

After being set a target of 180, a superb unbeaten century from Peter Handscomb got the Stars over the line after they made a disastrous start to their run chase.

Reeling at 3-28, Handscomb combined with Rob Quiney for a 60-run partnership to steady the ship before John Hastings blasted three consecutive sixes off Ashton Agar to leave his side needing 17 runs off the final two overs.

Fittingly it was man of the match Handscomb who sealed the Stars' fifth win in succession with two sixes to bring up his century in the final over.

In his first game back from a fractured finger suffered in early December, Handscomb put on a masterful display to blast 103 runs from 64 balls in front of the 33,580-strong crowd.

The third-placed Stars went into the match needing a big win to steal a home semi-final out from under the Scorchers, but faced an uphill battle to run the target down in the 15.2 overs or less it would've taken to improve their net run rate enough.

The Stars were 5-120 when that mark passed, but they will take plenty of heart from their brilliant fight back.

Shaun Marsh and Michael Klinger set up an imposing total with an opening partnership of 127 - a Scorchers' record for an opening stand - as the visitors finished their 20 overs at 2-179.

Marsh has been unavailable for the Scorchers all season after winning a spot in the Test team, but he made the transition to the short form of the game with consummate ease - blasting 79 runs from 51 balls.

Klinger played a supporting role as Marsh took to the Stars' attack, but he took up the running when Marsh holed out to Cameron White in the deep to finish with 71 from 48 deliveries after being run out off the last ball of the innings.

Pakistani import Yasir Arafat, who finished with figures of 4-27, put the Stars on the back foot with the wickets of Luke Wright and Kevin Pietersen, the latter bowled for a first-ball duck, from his first two balls of the night to have the home side reeling at 2-8.

Cameron White was dropped by Ashton Turner, but failed to make the most of it with Klinger taking a good catch to send him on his way for 13 leaving Handscomb to rally the middle order resurgence.

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Adelaide Strikers secured the other home semi-final when they finished on top of the ladder, but the final semi-final match-ups won't be decided until the fourth-placed Sydney Sixers play their final game against Sydney Thunder on Thursday night.

Handscomb, 23, handsomely eclipsed his previous T20 high score with the superb innings.

"It was the first time I've faced more than about 14 balls," Handscomb told Channel 10.

"So it was nice to have a bit of time in the middle after getting put up the order.

"I wasn't thinking about the ton (late), I was just trying to run hard, but I was pretty tired.

"The intensity of the game was right up there."

Perth skipper Adam Voges didn't hide his displeasure at the performance despite securing a home final.

"I'm incredibly disappointed," Voges said.

"Credit to Peter Handscomb, who played an exceptional innings though.

"We were a little bit sloppy in the field, which allowed them to get a couple of extra runs."

While the semi-final match-ups weren't officially set with the result, it will take a huge win by the Sixers for the Scorchers not to host the Stars in Perth.

"They'll take a lot of momentum out of tonight, but I thought our batting was really good," Voges said.

"Our bowlers have been fantastic all year, but they had an off night tonight. Hopefully they'll bounce back."