San Francisco Unicorns thumped Seattle Orcas by 6 wickets and secured their place in the top two of ongoing MLC. Batting first, Seattle Orcas could only post 152 runs in 20 overs, thanks to de Kock’s (62 off 33) scintillating knock. Unicorns, in a dominant display, crossed the line with 34 balls to spare, courtesy of Finn Allen’s (77 off 30) breathtaking knock.
Match Summary
- Toss: Corey Anderson (SFU) won the toss and opted to field.
- Seattle Orcas Innings: 152/7 in 20 overs
- Quinton de Kock: 62 (33)
- Shehan Jayasuriya: 31 (33)
- Key Bowler: Hassan Khan (3/5) in two overs
- San Francisco Unicorns Innings: 156/4 in 14.2 overs
- Finn Allen: 77 (30)
- Josh Inglis: 24* (17)
- Key Bowler: Harmeet Singh (2/39) in 3.2 overs
Key Moments
Carmi le Roux’s Dream Start
The right-arm pacer started the proceedings with the new ball for Unicorns and made an immediate impact. He trapped the in-form Ryan Rickelton on the first ball of the match and then dismissed Aaron Jones on the third ball, removing both openers for a golden duck in the opening over. 
De Kock’s Blast
The Protea batter came out to bat at number three and went berserk from the word go. Despite the Orcas losing two wickets in the first three balls of the match, de Kock scored rapidly and got the batting back on track. The southpaw mustered 63 runs off just 33 balls, including eight fours and three sixes.
Hassan Khan’s Impressive bowling
The left-arm orthodox was the seventh bowler introduced by Anderson and quickly dismantled the Orcas’ middle order. Hassan trapped the big fish, Heinrich Klaasen (8 off 8), on the first ball of his spell and then removed Harmeet Singh (3 off 7) and Keemo Paul (0 off 1) on consecutive balls in his second over, putting the Orcas in trouble. Hassan pocketed three wickets for just five runs in two overs, helping to restrict the Orcas to a below-par total.
Finn Allen’s Rampage
The Kiwi batter went berserk from the start, pummeling the Orcas’ bowlers all around the park. He notched up his fifty off just 21 balls and scored 77 runs off 30 balls, including eight fours and six sixes. The carnage from Allen helped Unicorns cross the line with 34 balls to spare.
Implications and Future Prospects
The finalists of the inaugural MLC season, the Seattle Orcas, faltered miserably in this tournament and failed to qualify for the playoffs. Except for Ryan Rickelton, Harmeet Singh, Quinton de Kock, and Cameron Gannon, almost every player in the squad choked throughout the tournament, resulting in four consecutive losses for the Orcas.
On the other hand, Unicorn bowlers were right on cue in this contest and would like to carry the momentum in the business end of the tournament. Allen and Short’s form with the bat is a positive sign, though the middle-order batting needs improvement. Overall, it’s fair to say that the San Francisco-based franchise is a top contender for the silverware.
Upcoming Fixtures
- San Francisco Unicorns vs Washington Freedom: July 22 (local time)
- Texas Super Kings vs Seattle Orcas: July 23 (local time)
Conclusion
San Francisco Unicorns have secured their place in the top two, with one game left to play. The Unicorns’ management will likely use the final league game to test their bench strength before heading into the playoffs.
Conversely, Seattle Orcas have lost four games on the trot and are eliminated from the tournament. They would look to win their final league match and end the tournament positively.
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