In-form Jhye Richardson shone with bat and ball as Perth Scorchers locked in a Big Bash League finals spot with an important 22-run win over Hobart Hurricanes.
The competition's leading wicket-taker this season, Richardson claimed Test star Matthew Wade's (six) wicket in the first over of the Hurricanes' run-chase.
The right-arm quick then removed dangerous batsmen Ben McDermott (0) and Peter Handscomb (30 off 16) on his way to 4-33 from four overs, and also had a hand in Darcy Short's (43 off 37) dismissal with a straightforward catch.
Earlier, Richardson smacked five boundaries in a quickfire 29 off 14 to help Josh Inglis (58 off 35) guide the Scorchers to 8-179 despite the fall of regular wickets.
In reply, Hobart could only muster 8-157, with Richardson removing Tim David (27 off 19) to effectively end the chase.
The win puts the second-placed Scorchers four points clear of the chasing pack on a congested table with only a handful of matches left to play before the finals.
Hobart captain Wade returned to the BBL from Test duty, but a minor knee complaint meant he handed wicketkeeping duties to McDermott.
Neither of them had the desired impact with the bat as Richardson and Jason Behrendorff (2-17) helped ensure a steady fall of wickets.
Scorchers allrounder Mitch Marsh returned from a side strain and sneaked past older brother Shaun Marsh as the highest run-scorer in Scorchers history.
But he managed just two scoring shots in his seven from nine balls and did not bowl.
Perth take on finals hopefuls Melbourne Stars on Saturday, while Hobart take on the league-leading Sydney Sixers on Sunday.
Australia's Test captain Tim Paine could return for the Hurricanes in what would be his first T20 match since 2018, after being rested for the Scorchers clash.
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