The stage has been set for a firecracker HRV Cup decider after Canterbury's seven-wicket defeat of Auckland in a final preview that featured a pair of centuries and over 400 runs in total.
Auckland's imposing 202-4, highlighted by an even 100 not out off 61 balls by import Azhar Mahmood, was overhauled by Canterbury with three balls remaining.
Their hero was Rob Nicol, a former born and bred Aucklander who destroyed his teammates in an even speedier innings of 101 not out off 57 balls.
Both innings thrilled the Colin Maiden Park crowd and given the final on Sunday will be played on not only the same ground, but the same pitch, more of the same is expected in five days' time.
The red-hot Martin Guptill looked set to destroy another domestic Twenty20 bowling line-up early on, smashing 18 off 6 balls until he was very well held by discarded Test wicketkeeper Reece Young with a skied pull stroke.
Anaru Kitchen (4) came and went quickly before Mahmood, the highly-performed Pakistani all-rounder, and captain Gareth Hopkins put on 83 in only nine overs.
Hopkins made 42 off 28 balls, including three sixes and as many fours, and was followed by a typically bright and breezy 25 off 12 balls by the powerful Colin de Grandhomme.
Mahmood powered on to his second Twenty20 hundred, smashing 10 fours and three sixes in a display of strong and calculated hitting around the ground.
The Canterbury bowlers all took a fair bit of treatment, with George Worker's 2-29 the best effort.
They needed a fast start in order to overhaul the heady total and got exactly that in an 85-run opening stand in 7.5 balls between Nicol and Worker.
Worker made 44 off 28, with five fours and two sixes, before the introduction of the in-form left-arm spin of Ronnie Hira trapped him lbw.
Hira also had Peter Fulton caught and bowled for 5 but that brought Dean Brownlie, the owner of the best strike rate in the HRV Cup this season, to the crease.
He slapped 39 off 22 and got Canterbury to within 15 before being dismissed by Kyle Mills.
But Brendon Diamanti's 10 not out off four balls ensured there would be no late slip-up.
Nicol stood unbroken at the end with also his second Twenty20 ton, coming up just short of a previous best 108 not out.
He made an art form out of hitting over the boundary, sending nine into the crowd and only three to the ropes via the ground.
The 28-year-old was particularly disdainful towards Bruce Martin's left-arm spin, which leaked 55 off four overs. Hira was more success in taking 2-23.
Whether or not it strikes a psychological blow for Canterbury will be found out on Sunday when they look to knock off the defending champions again.
The home side will have Andre Adams back to bolster their bowling attack and chose to rest him for the final round robin game.
They finish the regular season with seven wins, two losses and an abandonment on 30 points, two ahead of Canterbury who recorded one less win.
All the rest of the HRV Cup fixtures, between Central Districts and Wellington on Wednesday and Northern Districts against Otago the following day, are merely being played for pride.
The loser between Wellington and CD will end up with the wooden spoon.