What a finish! Villani smacks ton to seal Stars win

Melbourne Stars' season was already over, but Elyse Villani ensured it ended on a high note, hitting her first WBBL century to lead her side to a thrilling victory over Adelaide Strikers.

Villani was on 94 with one run required for victory, and the veteran duly smacked a six over long off for six, sealing an emphatic nine-run victory as the Stars reeled in the Strikers' 3-175, pulling off the fourth-highest successful chase in WBBL history with three balls to spare.

Villani finished on 100 not out from 65 deliveries, ending the regular season second on the runs table with 439 at 43.90, with a strike rate of 122.28.

The upset victory lifted the Stars to fifth, but had no impact on the Strikers' position heading into finals; they were already due to meet Brisbane Heat in The Eliminator on Wednesday, and it was pure semantics which of the two sides finished in third position, given that game was already locked in to be played at Adelaide Oval (the preferred 'home' venue of the second-ranked Melbourne Renegades).

WBBL Finals

The Eliminator: Adelaide Strikers v Brisbane Heat | Adelaide Oval | November 24, 6.40pm local (7.10am AEDT)

The Challenger: Melbourne Renegades v TBC | Adelaide Oval | November 25, 6.40pm local (7.10am AEDT)

The Final: Perth Scorchers v TBC | Optus Stadium | November 27 at 4.10pm local (7.10pm AEDT)

Grab your tickets or tune in on the Seven Network, Fox Cricket, Kayo, the CA Live app or listen on ABC radio

Opener Villani put on 119 for the first wicket with Meg Lanning, the Australia captain also finding form as she hit her second half-century of the tournament before falling to Megan Schutt for a 39-ball 52.

Annabel Sutherland joined Villani to complete the chase, finding her grove after a string of low scores to hit 27 not out from 13 balls.

Earlier, aggressive half-centuries to Katie Mack and Maddie Penna gave Strikers fans something to smile about heading into finals.

The early dismissals of Dane van Niekerk (0), bowled by Kim Garth, and Laura Wolvaardt (13) and Bridget Patterson (6) to Sutherland had the Strikers wobbly at 3-57 after eight overs.

But the in-form Mack took control, bringing up her fourth half-century of WBBL|07 and hitting 13 boundaries on her way to an unbeaten 89 from 67 deliveries.

Hard-hitting allrounder Penna chimed in with a 34-ball 56 of her own, clearing the ropes twice to help the Strikers reach 3-175.

The Strikers have two days to prepare for Wednesday's elimination final against Brisbane Heat, with the winner to meet the Melbourne Renegades on Thursday for a spot in the decider.