A hat-trick from White Ferns star Amelia Kerr was not enough to deny Canterbury Magicians a fourth domestic T20 title in a nail-biting finish at Wellington's Basin Reserve.
The visitors were struggling to keep up with the required rate, after Kerr ripped through the middle order for a stunning hat-trick, before two internationals smashed the southerners home.
Canterbury needed 42 off the final four overs, and Kate Ebrahim (45 from 40 balls) and a blazing Lea Tahuhu (38 from 20 balls) saw them storm to victory.
Remarkably, the South Island side recovered from finishing last in the previous campaign to finish top of the table and win this season's title.
Canterbury sent Wellington into bat, with White Ferns skipper Sophie Devine (47 of 45 balls) and Kerr (31 off 25 balls) key to the Blaze innings, but the duo could never get out of third gear.
Wellington looked on track for 150, but a middle-order collapse saw them scrap through to 125/7.
NZ international Amy Satterthwaite (4/13) changed the momentum of the innings, creating dismissals in consecutive balls in both the 15th and 17th overs.
The Blaze lost five wickets for just 11 runs in three overs to put the Magicians on top at halfway.
Canterbury started sluggishly against a tight bowling performance from the Blaze, but retained wickets to keep them in the contest, before Kerr struck.
During her second over, she ripped through the middle order to put her side in a commanding position. After two runs off the opening three deliveries, Kerr struck with three perfect googlies.
Leg-spinner Kerr used her wrong'un to perfection to bowl Canterbury’s Frankie Mackay, Kirsty Nation and Emma Kench in consecutive balls in the 10th over.
Kerr (3/19) seemed to have made it mission impossible for the Magicians with her hat-trick, but late heroics from Tahuhu and Ebrahim saw Canterbury claim an unlikely four-wicket victory.
Canterbury Magicians 126/4 (Ebrahim 45, Tahuhu 38, Mackay 24, A Kerr 3/19) bt Wellington Blaze 125/7 (Devine 47, Kerr 31, Green 22, Satterthwaite 4/13)
