The second season of Major League Cricket is in full tilt and match number eight of the season will see Seattle Orcas and Washington Freedom locking horns at Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas, on July 11.
Washington Freedom are currently sitting at number two on the points table, with three points to their name in 2 matches. The Steve Smith-led side is yet to lose a game this season, with their second match being washed out due to rain.
On the other hand, Seattle Orcas are languishing at the bottom of the table, having won and lost one game each from two matches. After losing the inaugural match of the season at the hands of defending champions, Heinrich Klaasen and Co. staged a solid comeback in their next game to thump LA Knight Riders by 9 wickets, grabbing their first points. 
With both sides aiming to grab two crucial points, let us quickly explore the pitch report, top players, head-to-head stats, and match prediction for this contest.
Grand Prairie Stadium Pitch Report
The pitch at Grand Prairie Stadium is hard, and the ball comes onto the bat nicely. The pitch tends to assist pacers with the new ball, and spinners have found it hard to extract wickets on this surface. Teams batting second have won two out of three games at this venue in the ongoing MLC.
Grand Prairie Stadium Stats (MLC)
Total Matches: 15
Matches won batting first: 9
Matches won bowling first: 6
Average 1st innings Score: 166
Average 2nd innings Score: 147
Highest total recorded: 215/5 by San Francisco Unicorns vs MI New York
Lowest total recorded: 50/10 by Los Angeles Knight Riders vs MI New York
SEA vs WF Head-to-Head
Both sides have locked horns only once in Major League Cricket, with the Seattle-based franchise emerging victorious.
SEA vs WF Top Players Predictions
Ryan Rickelton (SEA): The South African wicketkeeper-batter announced himself in style in Major League Cricket, smashing an unbeaten century in his maiden appearance in the MLC. The onus will be on the left-handed batter to don the aggressor’s role in the powerplay and lay a solid foundation for his side.
Saurabh Netravalkar (WF): The left-arm pacer is going through a dream phase of his career. After making headlines with his bowling prowess in the recently concluded T20 World Cup, he continued his form in Major League Cricket, scalping 5 wickets in 2 matches. Netravalkar will play a crucial role with the ball for the Washington-based franchise.
Steven Smith (WF): The Aussie batter has mustered 72 runs in 2 matches in this MLC and provided his side a rollicking start in the powerplay. With extensive experience, Smith can quickly adapt to the situation and play long innings. He has yet to be dismissed in this MLC and his form with the bat is a positive sign for the Washington side.
SEA vs WF Hit or Miss Prediction
Heinrich Klaasen (SEA): The South African batter failed to make an impact in the first game and didn’t get to bat in the second match. He has recently blown hot and cold, but if he gets into his groove, he can tear apart any bowling attack.
SEA vs WF Conditions-based Predictions
- Batters will dominate bowlers at this venue
- The Pacers need to exploit the conditions with the new ball
- Hit the deck bowlers are likely to excel on this pitch
- Bowling first would be a good choice
SEA vs WF Match Predictions
The pitch at Grand Prairie Stadium has proven to be batting-friendly, suggesting that the total runs in the match might surpass 315.5 runs (1.85). Nauman Anwar looked sluggish as an opener in this MLC, and Seattle might lose their first wicket before reaching 17.5 runs (1.85). Steven Smith has been promising with the bat in this MLC and could score over 24.5 runs (1.85) in this contest. Teams might lose wickets in clusters in death overs for big shots, and the total wickets in the match might exceed 12.5 (1.79). The Odds.
SEA vs WF Winner Prediction
Both sides have quality players in their squad, but the team bowling first has a higher probability of winning this match.
