The second season of Major League Cricket (MLC) is all set to get underway at Church Street Park, Morrisville, on July 5. This season’s inaugural match will see a repeat of the first season’s final, with the defending champions MI New York up against the Seattle Orcas.
Kieron Pollard-led MI New York will look to kick off their campaign where they left off in the previous edition. On the other hand, the local boy Harmeet Singh has been responsible for leading the Seattle Orcas this season.
With both sides aiming to start their campaign on a high note, let us quickly explore the pitch report, top players, head-to-head stats, and match prediction for this curtain raiser. 
Church Street Park Pitch Report
The pitch at Church Street Park has favored batters due to its shorter boundaries, and one can expect a high-scoring contest in this match. Pacers tend to find more success on this strip than spinners.
Church Street Park Pitch Stats (MLC)
Total Matches: 7
Matches won batting first: 1
Matches won bowling first: 6
Average 1st innings Score: 161
Average 2nd innings Score: 158
Highest total recorded: 195/8 by Seattle Orcas vs MI New York
Lowest total recorded: 103/10 by San Francisco Unicorns vs Washington Freedom
MINY vs SEA Head-to-Head
Both sides locked horns twice in the inaugural edition of Major League Cricket (MLC), with each team winning one game.
MINY vs SEA Top Players Predictions
Quinton de Kock (SEA):
The left-handed batter was the leading run-scorer for Seattle Orcas in MLC season 1 and has had a decent outing with the bat in the recently concluded T20 World Cup. The onus will be on de Kock to provide an aggressive start in the powerplay.
Nicholas Pooran (MINY):
The West Indian batter topped the leading run-scorer chart in the inaugural MLC season and is a valuable player for the New York-based franchise. He amassed 228 runs in 7 innings of the 2024 T20 World Cup. His recent form is a positive sign for MI New York.
Trent Boult (MINY):
The left-arm pacer has a knack for picking wickets with the new ball and can trouble any batting line-up with his bowling skills. He bagged 9 wickets in 4 innings of the 2024 T20 World Cup and the responsibility lies on him to extract wickets in the powerplay.
MINY vs SEA Hit or Miss Prediction
Harmeet Singh (SEA):
The Indian-bred all-rounder has recently performed exceptionally well with both bat and ball. The Orcas skipper can play the role of the finisher for his side with the bat and curb the scoring rate with his left-arm spin in the middle overs. If he gets going, he can single-handedly turn the tide of the game.
MINY vs SEA Conditions-based Predictions
- Batters will enjoy their time on this strip
- Pacers tend to get some early movement under lights in the second innings
- Bowlers need to use cutters to deceive batters
- Bowling first would be a good choice at this venue
MINY vs SEA Match Predictions
Considering Trent Boult’s effectiveness with the new ball, Seattle Orcas might lose their first wicket under 19.5 runs (1.85). Nicholas Pooran’s recent form has been good, and the southpaw will likely carry forward the momentum and score over 26.5 runs (1.85) in this match. Given it is a batting paradise strip, the total number of wickets in this match might remain below 12.5 (1.87). The Odds.
MINY vs SEA Winner Prediction
MI New York have plenty of quality players in their squad and looks like a formidable side compared to the Seattle Orcas. Considering their team balance, the Pollard-led side will likely come out on top in this curtain-raiser.
