Glenn Maxwell has made a stunning return to form with the bat as the Melbourne Stars won a thriller against the Melbourne Renegades to storm back into Big Bash League finals contention.
The match ended in high drama, with the Stars needing just one run off the final ball.
The third umpire took an age to adjudicate on Tom Triffitt's attempt at a winning single.
Triffitt's despairing lunge appeared to leave him short after his wild swing failed to clear the infield, but the review adjudged him not out, ruling that Renegades bowler Nathan Rimmington breaking the stumps with his arm just barely before Callum Ferguson's brilliant throw arrived.
The Renegades set a competitive target of 154 and had the upper hand when they removed Luke Wright and Cameron White in the first two overs of the run chase, but Maxwell combined with Kevin Pietersen for a third-wicket partnership of 120 runs - a Stars record - to set his side on the path to victory.
Maxwell had made just 52 runs from five innings going into the clash, but he took the Renegades' attack to all parts of the MCG for 66 runs from 44 balls.
Pietersen made a watchful 49 before he was dismissed with the score on 144, with the Stars losing four wickets for nine runs to set up the grandstand finish.
The win was the Stars' third in succession and puts them right back in the finals hunt after they started the season with three losses.
Renegades opener Matthew Wade smashed 71 runs from 49 balls as his side finished its 20 overs at 6-153.
Needing a win to stay in finals contention, the Stars were jubilant when the third umpire's not out decision flashed up on the scoreboard to end the game to the thunderous applause of 37,323 fans.
"I thought if you actually looked at it, no matter what was happening between the ball passing the stumps, the bails obviously light up and the ball was on the other side to the side the bail lit up," relieved Stars skipper Cameron White told Channel 10.
"If you thought about it, it couldn't be run out."
Maxwell's run of outs has come at an opportune time with an ODI series against England and India and the ICC World Cup just around the corner.
"It certainly helps [my confidence]," Maxwell said.
"It hasn't been fun the last couple of months as far as my own performance, I've been very frustrated, so it was nice to finally get through that really tough stage."
The Stars evened their season's ledger at three wins and three losses, while the result leaves the Renegades facing an uphill battle to make the finals with two wins and four losses.
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