Defending champions Sydney Sixers have charged into another BBL finals series as the top seed after a five-wicket win over Melbourne Stars.
The Sixers needed just one competition point at the MCG on Tuesday night to finish the regular season on top of the ladder.
They won the bat flip and opted to bowl first, prioritising their pursuit of the bonus point, and restricted the Stars to 6-177.
The plan worked a treat as James Vince (46) and Moises Henriques (38) ensured the Sixers chased down the required 73 for the bonus point with two overs to spare.
Dan Christian (49 not out) and Jordan Silk (34 not out) then guided the Sixers to 5-180, grabbing the overall win with one ball to spare and rubbing salt into the Stars' wounds.
The result means the Sixers will host Perth Scorchers in Canberra in the 'qualifier' final, with the winner to advance to the season decider.
The Stars, runners-up for the past two seasons, missed out on the finals despite captain Glenn Maxwell blasting 66 from 41 balls.
He hit nine fours and a six in an innings that featured an array of inventive shots, and did the bulk of the scoring during the power surge as the Stars took 29 runs from Sean Abbott and Carlos Brathwaite.
Hilton Cartwright (38 off 19) took the reins late in the innings and blasted three sixes from the final four deliveries bowled by Jake Ball (0-38).
Cartwright saved his best for last when he whipped a low full-toss off leg stump and sent it into the second tier of the Olympic Stand.
Ben Dwarshuis (3-27) and fellow quick Abbott (2-28) both bowled well for the Sixers, while left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe (0-21) was impressive in four overs on his return to the side.
