The Brisbane Heat have defeated fellow strugglers the Sydney Thunder by 91 runs at the Gabba after a sluggish start to their innings.
The Thunder won the toss and opted to bowl which appeared to be the right decision given the moist, bowler-friendly conditions.
The decision was validated early with the Heat slumping to 3-44 at the end of the sixth over, but Dan Christian's superb 75 off 47 balls turned the pendulum back in Brisbane's favour and they made a more than healthy 4-195.
He smashed five fours and four sixes and was aided by Peter Forrest who rotated the strike expertly and added 33 runs.
The pair added 80 runs for the fourth wicket before Chris Lynn battered Sydney's attack with 37 runs off just 17 deliveries, including four sixes.
The Thunder's chase got off to a disastrous start with Usman Khawaja fending off five dot balls.
When he did get the devastating Chris Gayle on strike, he fell for a duck off the first delivery of their second over.
It wasn't a great delivery from Alister McDermott but Gayle threw his bat at it nonetheless and edged through to the keeper Brendon McCullum.
McDermott then saw off Tim Cruickshank for a duck four balls later and the Thunder managed just 2-14 by the end of the fifth.
Ben Dunk was the next to go, for six, when he edged one through to first slip and Daniel Smith soon followed in the eighth over as Sydney looked dead and buried.
The rain began to team down intermittently making life difficult for the batsman and when Daniel Vettori bowled Tim Armstrong for four, the visitors needed an impossible 162 off 53 balls.
The procession continued with only Khawaja putting up any resistance before he was caught behind for 37 off the bowling of Michael Neser.
The Thunder lasted the journey but posted a lowly 6-104.
Earlier for Brisbane, McCullum was the first to depart for just six when Sean Abbott took a wonderful fingertip catch running back with the flight from cover after the opener had lofted a sliced shot.
Soon both openers were gone after Hayden flat batted Scott Coyte's delivery straight to Luke Doran at mid off. He too was gone for six and the home side were seemingly in trouble at 2-14.
With the Heat sluggishly notching 2-19 off the first four overs Andrew Robinson took matters into his own hands.
He blasted two sixes and three fours within the space of six balls but soon fell on his sword for a quick-fire 25 when he pulled straight to the man situated at deep square leg after he'd been enticed by a shorter ball.
The Thunder looked in command at 3-44 at the end of the sixth over and despite only one of the past nine teams to bat first failing to win, the decision was paying early dividends.
That was until Christian batted out the rest of the innings as the Heat mounted what looked an insurmountable total.
Christian's knock along with Chris Lynn's devastating late contribution eventually put the game beyond Sydney's reach.
With both sides languishing in the table it was a much-needed win for Brisbane and keeps their slim finals hopes alive.