The Hobart Hurricanes have kept their hopes of back-to-back Big Bash titles alive after defeating the Melbourne Stars by three runs in a rain-affected thriller on Wednesday night.

It all came down the final ball of the match with the Stars needing a six for victory, or a four to force a super over.

But Mitch Owen, who only made seven with the bat, delivered the perfect ball that Hilton Cartwright could only get away for a single.

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The Stars needed 26 off the final over, but somehow got to the final ball despite losing the wicket of Marcus Stoinis on the second ball.

Cartwright came in and smashed 14 off the next three balls to set up the grandstand finish.

Owen was praised by Australian cricket great Ricky Ponting for delivering the final ball.

“That’s a good ball under pressure. That’s the most pressure he would have been under in his whole career,” he said.

“To execute something like that on the last ball, to keep your season live when batting is your number one skill ... perfect execution, ices the game for the Hurricanes. They live to fight another day.”

The Hurricanes will now play the Sydney Sixers on Friday night with the winner to face the Scorchers in Sunday night’s final.

The match was reduced to 10 overs each after rain delayed the start.

Hobart crunched 5-114 off their 10 with Australian Test star Beau Webster smashing 47 off 26 balls.

Rain interrupted the Stars’ run chase, leaving them to chase 84 off seven overs.

Joe Clarke (31) top scored, but questions were asked why power hitters Marcus Stonis and Glenn Maxwell weren’t promoted up the order.

Stonis came to the crease 2-41 in fifth over, while Sam Harper retired in the sixth over to bring Maxwell on for the finish.

But the big hitters couldn’t get it done as the Hurricanes held on for victory.

“They will have to look (at their strategy) and wonder if they left their big guns in the shed too long in this game,” Brad Hodge said on Seven.

More to come ...