Completing a clean sweep for the home teams in round four, the Mondiale Auckland Aces managed to stop a late blast of hard hitting from the Firebirds in time for a last-over win.
In a match that went down to the wire, the Aces' bowlers held their nerve to deliver some solid death bowling, while the Wellingtonian batsmen threw everything at the chase.
A few nervous flutters went around the crowd and respective camps at Eden Park Outer Oval when Anurag Verma found the boundary early in the last over to go within 14 runs of the victory.
Enhancing his reputation in the tail, Verma had kept the Firebirds in the run-hunt until he slipped and ran out partner Matt McEwan in the penultimate over, before he himself was run out to end a thrilling chase with just one ball remaining in the innings.
The Aces had earlier set the Firebirds a fair target with 288/9, opener Michael Guptill-Bunce weathering the early loss of his partner Jeet Raval to top-score on Ford Trophy debut with a run-a-ball 73; and young Mark Chapman contributing 62 at quick pace.
The Aces were sharp in the field
In reply, Firebirds captain Michael Papps and Craig Cachopa looked to be making good inroads into the chase sharing a solid stand, until they were pivotally dismissed in consecutive overs, leaving the Firebirds at 134/4.
Influential captain Michael Papps. NZC
Shawn Hicks had made a key breakthrough in his first over as he dismissed Cachopa on 49.
Skipper Michael Bates mashalled the young attack looking to follow in his footsteps
Hicks followed that up with the prized wicket of Michael Papps who looked well set on 72.
That left two fresh batsmen at the crease and dented the Firebirds' momentum.
However, Tom Blundell looked to rebuild, despite regularly losing partners.
Above and below, cricket's contrasting emotions from Luke Woodcock and Brad Cachopa after a nick behind
Blundell kept the Firebirds in the game with a smashing 73 off 68 balls.
He looked like he might be able to guide them home even as the required run rate climbed, and his partnership with Jeetan Patel in particular was dangerous until the pair had a disastrous running mix-up and Patel was sent packing.
Blundell was then dismissed in unusual fashion when as he tried to drive Donovan Grobbelaar over mid-off: tragically for the batsman in full flight, his bat broke in two and the ball instead carried to the fielder.
Verma tried his best to clear the rope, but the home side’s bowlers, backed up exceptionally by their field, kept the pressure cooking.
Earlier, after Michael Bates had decided to bat first on a good-looking strip, his team had started with positive intent.
Guptill-Bunce helped himself to several fine boundaries. Unfortunately, after sharing more than 50 runs with Brad Cachopa, he lost partners regularly. He had a brief partnership with Hicks, but then lost his wicket.
Hicks started his good all-round day with a nice partnership with Mark Chapman. He was starting to look settled before he was dismissed thanks to an outstanding low catch from Patel.
Chapman went on to forge a strong partnership with Grobbelaar, the pair putting the Aces into a competitive position.
Tarun Nethula's dismissal had everyone on the edge of their seat as Tom Blundell zeroed in, twice.
Meanwhile Chapman got his first List A fifty for the Aces, and he was the last man to depart before Bates and Lockie Ferguson finished things off, taking their side to 288.
The Aces remain second on the table, and now host unbeaten Canterbury same place same time in round five in a top of the table showdown this Saturday 9 January in what promises to be a fascinating clash.
