The Wellington cricketers couldn't back up in the national men's Twenty20 competition two nights in a row, the Firebirds going down by six wickets with one ball to spare to the Auckland Aces at Westpac Stadium.
The Aces got their HRV Cup campaign off to a stirring start against the hosts, who 24 hours earlier had been celebrating a last-over win of their own over the Central Stags at the same venue.
Chasing the Firebirds' 157 for seven, Colin de Grandhomme hit the winning runs off the penultimate ball as Auckland reached 158 for four.
