Alana King smashed a monster, match-winning six off her only delivery to launch the Melbourne Stars to a tense four-wicket victory over the Adelaide Strikers.
With six required to win off four balls following Annabel Sutherland's run out, King strode to the crease at Karen Rolton Oval and nonchalantly hoicked ex-Melbourne Star Danielle Hazell (2-27) over the midwicket rope for the winning runs.
Captain Erin Osborne's all-round double of 54 not out with the bat and 2-16 off four overs with the ball was the big difference though as the Stars consolidated their spot in the top four and consigned the struggling Strikers to their fourth straight defeat.
"Early on was a bit of a struggle," player-of-the-match Osborne said.
"I had a lot of dot balls. It was nice to hang in there and it got a bit easier at the end."
Osborne gained momentum when it mattered in her well-constructed knock after hard-hitting South African opener Lizelle Lee's quickfire 33 set a cracking early pace in the chase which took a nervous turn just prior to King's heroics.
Earlier, the bowling combination of Osborne and King (2-14) plus a pair of run-outs saw the Strikers dig a deep hole for themselves before recovering to post a competitive 7-144.
Opener Sophie Devine (46) and wicketkeeper Tegan McPharlin (41 not out) put on 63 in seven overs to resurrect the innings after the hosts had plummeted to 4-45 in the ninth over.
Megan Schutt's quickfire unbeaten 16 at the death helped give the Strikers something to bowl at but it wasn't quite enough.
