The result means Perth (7-3) will finish top of the table and host Hobart or the Sydney Sixers on Tuesday in a first vs second ‘qualifying’ battle.
If Perth wins it, they will host the grand final.
The Stars (6-4) will now have to make it tough from third or fourth place, with their final placing dependent on Sunday’s clash between fourth-placed Sixers (5-3, one thrashing) and fifth-placed Brisbane Heat (5-4) at the Gabba.
The writing was on the wall for the Stars soon after Cooper Connolly (2-18 from three overs) continued his batting prowess in the first over – this time it was a double treat.
Connolly’s first two deliveries were fours but he had Tom Rogers caught and then cleanly bowled the next ball to Joe Clarke as the Stars finished the first over at 2-9.
Sam Harper became Richardson’s first victim of the night when he caught Luka Holt with ease to leave the Stars on 3-15.
Stoinis (55 off 39 balls) and Campbell Kellaway (19 off 20 balls) steadied the ship with a 52-run stand.
But when Kellaway charged down the pitch and was caught behind and Stoinis fell to the hands of Richardson, the Stars were back in trouble at 5-100.
The biggest destruction came during the Power Surge in the 16th and 17th overs as Stars lost 3-8.
Richardson took 2-0 during his Power Surge over, dispatching an out-of-form Glenn Maxwell (three off eight balls) before taking a hard-earned caught and bowled off the next ball.
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