ABdV dazzles as desperate Heat hand Stars a hiding

The match in a tweet: AB de Villiers delivers BBL masterclass when Heat need it most as Brisbane hand ladder-leading Stars a third straight defeat to keep their season alive

The score: Brisbane Heat 5-186 (De Villiers 71, Lynn 34; Zampa 3-27) defeated the Melbourne Stars (Handscomb 27; Swepson 3-31) by 71 runs at the MCG with 14 balls to spare

The hero: This was exactly the type of innings the Brisbane Heat envisaged when they signed AB de Villiers.

Arguably the greatest 'finisher' the shortest format has seen, de Villiers blasted 71 off just 37 balls as he unleashed a series of jaw-dropping sixes in his first BBL half-century on his fifth attempt.

The South African had been hamstrung in previous innings by wickets falling around and again he had to bide his time as the Heat lost their fourth wicket on only 116 with fewer than five overs to go.

Yet after being 13 off 16 balls, de Villiers belted his next 21 deliveries for 58.

The enthusiastic Marnus Labuschagne proved the ideal foil as the dynamic right-hander finally had a real license to launch an extended onslaught. He was murderous on anything short even despite the MCG's enormous square boundaries, and left keeper Seb Gotch smiling in awe after clubbing wrist-spinner Clinton Hinchliffe for a back-foot driven six over long off.

The Heat took 70 off the final 29 deliveries of their innings in what amounted to a pointed reminder from Brisbane that, despite their batting difficulties in BBL09, they possess an unstoppable weapon in de Villiers.

The support act: Demoted to No.6 and given just a handful of overs to work his magic, Labuschange reminded everyone that this is his summer which we are all just witnesses to.

In only his ninth career T20 game, Australia's breakout batting talent seemed to unlock de Villiers with his boundless energy and then cleared the rope twice in the Heat's late blitz.

He finished unbeaten on 24 off 13 balls. It's the highest score of his T20 career but few would expect it to remain so for long.

The over: In the space of four balls during the ninth over of their chase, the Melbourne Stars effectively squandered the match.

Peter Handscomb had looked ominous in racing to 27 off 17 balls with a pair of crisp straight sixes but an inexplicable run-out attempting a second brought to the crease Glenn Maxwell, who has masterminded a number of run chases during this campaign.

Yet when he was bowled second ball off one that skidded on from leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson, the Stars were four down needing more than 10 runs per over and their chase was all but over, with the two wickets prompting a collapse of 8-47.

The consolation efforts: Despite their struggles leading into the finals the Stars' increasingly spin-heavy bowling strategy appears to be paying off, with the wrist-spinning duo of Adam Zampa and Sandeep Lamichhane proving their trump card before the de Villiers' explosion.

Zampa is having an excellent BBL season either side of Australian ODI duties in India and added a further three wickets to his tally while Lamichhane bowled a terrific four-over spell that went for just 16 runs.

Zampa has an appetite for tough situations in limited overs cricket and captain Glenn Maxwell was duly rewarded for throwing him the new ball in the second over when he clean bowled Sam Heazlett with a skidder.

The wicket of fellow opener Ben Cutting followed, with Maxwell again turning to him when he needed him most; right as de Villiers was beginning to find his groove. While the Protea's prized scalp eluded Zampa, he had Matthew Renshaw stumped on the first ball of his last over to finish as the pick of the bowlers.

Lamichhane's strong form meanwhile may have a bittersweet element to it though as it emerged he could miss some of their finals campaign due to national duties with Nepal, who play Oman and the USA in ODIs early next month.

The catch: Memories of Glenn McGrath at Adelaide Oval to dismiss Michael Vaughan were evoked by a full-length hanger from Nick Larkin.

With Chris Lynn looking to hit out after laying a solid platform, his hoick off Sandeep was reeled by the flying Larkin for one of the grabs of the tournament.

The new recruit: Having already unearthed one Pakistani gem in Haris Rauf, his replacement Dilbar Hussain endured a rough debut as he returned the second-worst bowling figures in Stars' history.

There were some positive signs for the right-arm quick who gives his glasses to the umpire when he bowls; some conventional swing with the new ball during a nervy start, genuine pace off a deceptively short run-up and the consolation wicket of de Villiers on the final ball of the innings albeit after going for 22 runs off the over.

But the Stars will be desperate to get Rauf back for the finals, especially if they are to lose Lamichhane to national duties.

The stat: Marcus Stoinis managed just 17 before holing out to the impressive James Pattinson, but managed to pass 600 runs for the tournament along the way. He becomes just the second batter to achieve the feat after D'Arcy Short scored 637 runs last summer.

With at least two more games to go, Stoinis will pass Short's record for the most runs in a Big Bash campaign if his good form continues.

The next stop: The Stars remain top after all their regular season and Saturday night's defeat changes nothing in that regard. They will host either the Sixers or the Strikers at the MCG on January 31.

The Heat meanwhile shot up into fifth position with their big win and will secure a finals berth if they can beat the Renegades at Marvel Stadium on Monday afternoon. A defeat could mean curtains, though it they could still qualify for the finals with a loss if other results go their way.

Melbourne Stars XI: Marcus Stoinis, Nic Maddinson, Nick Larkin, Glenn Maxwell (c), Peter Handscomb, Seb Gotch (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Clint Hinchliffe, Adam Zampa, Dilbar Hussain, Sandeep Lamichhane

Brisbane Heat XI: Ben Cutting, Sam Heazlett, Chris Lynn (c), AB de Villiers (wk), Matthew Renshaw, Marnus Labuschagne, Jack Prestwidge, James Pattinson, Mitchell Swepson, Ben Laughlin, Mujeeb Ur Rahman