Sydney Thunder 182 for 8 (Billings 72, Sangha 33, Webster 3-42) beat Melbourne Stars 164 for 8 (Duckett 67, Stoinis 22, Agar 3-25) by 18 runs

Sam Billings smashed a half-century after capitalising on a bizarre non-appeal on a run out as Sydney Thunder beat hapless Melbourne Stars by 18 runs in Canberra.

After Thunder were sent in on a flat Manuka Oval surface, Billings top-scored with 72 off 39 balls having on 16 survived a run out when Stars failed to appeal.

Chasing 183, in-form opener Ben Duckett gave Stars hope with 67 off 49 balls but he lacked support as they slumped to a 0-5 record with their finals chances almost over.

Fresh after a week off, Thunder (2-1) were sharp in the field while quick Wes Agar led a disciplined attack with three wickets.

Warner again can't fire, Billings makes Stars pay

With Sam Konstas taking centre stage at the MCG, Thunder reshuffled their batting order with Cameron Bancroft moving up from No.3 to partner David Warner in a reunion for the former Test openers.

Warner has brought plenty of energy since taking Thunder's leadership reins, but had yet to fire with the bat. He looked in a determined mood with a second-ball boundary and his placement through the offside was a feature.

Warner ran hard between the wickets and looked to rattle the bowlers with inventive strokes. His best was a switch-hit for six off allrounder Beau Webster as he added 41 runs with Bancroft, who made an unbeaten 70 against Sydney Sixers.

But Warner was clean bowled by Webster to trigger a Thunder collapse before Billings and Jason Sangha steadied Thunder's innings with a 60-run partnership.

Billings received a major reprieve in the 13th over when he was short of his ground at the non-striker's end after a direct throw from Joel Paris hit the stumps, but Stars did not appeal.

"You're kidding me...sounds about right," grinned Glenn Maxwell when he found out while speaking on the Fox Sports broadcast.

Billings cashed in and added 56 off 23 runs. He targeted the quicks down the ground, while he reverse swept legspinner Usama Mir for three consecutive boundaries.

Billings powered to a half-century off just 29 balls but couldn't stay at the crease in the death overs after he chopped a slower ball from quick Peter Siddle onto his stumps.

"I actually did," laughed Billings after he was asked on the Fox Sports broadcast if he knew he was out.

Usama redeems himself

Stars' spirit sank in the fourth over when Usama dropped Bancroft on 19 at short third after he lost his footing.

Usama was brought on in the sixth over and redeemed himself by bowling Bancroft with a quicker delivery. He deceived Ollie Davies on the next delivery by slowing his speed as he held onto a sharp return catch to his right before setting off in celebration.

Usama was unable to claim a hat-trick and things got harder for him later in the innings amid an onslaught from Billings. Webster claimed three wickets after his release from Australia's Test squad, but veteran quicks Siddle and Joel Paris were Stars' most reliable bowlers as they cleverly mixed up their speeds.

Sangha suffers injury after picking up Maxwell

Warner's aggressive captaincy paid major dividends after he called upon Sangha's handy legspin in the ninth over of Stars' chase with Maxwell fresh to the crease. Warner had been egging on Maxwell, who couldn't contain himself and mistimed a slog to short fine leg.

A cackling Warner was overjoyed as Thunder celebrated with gusto, but Sangha emerged gingerly and in discomfort with a bicep injury. He bowled two more deliveries before leaving the field and he threw his cap in frustration as he entered the changerooms.

Sangha suffered a bicep strain last month while bowling in the One-Day Cup as he faces a nervous wait on the severity of his latest injury.

Duckett again delivers in vain

After smashing 68 runs off 29 against Sixers, all eyes were on Duckett who single-handedly kept Stars on track. He had an early reprieve when a thin under edge off allrounder Daniel Sams was dropped by Billings behind the stumps in a low chance.

Duckett made them pay as he looked a class above his team-mates. He batted calmly and mostly in orthodox fashion to reach his half-century off 37 balls.

But Duckett finally fell to Sams as Stars' chase ran out of puff despite some late hitting from Webster.