Los Angeles Knight Riders edged out Seattle Orcas by 4 wickets in a thrilling MLC contest and returned to the winning ways. Batting first, Orcas posted 142 runs in 20 overs, thanks to Ryan Rickelton’s (89 off 52) scintillating knock. In response, Knight Riders crossed the line with 5 balls to spare, courtesy of Unmukt Chand’s (62 off 47) impactful knock.
Match Summary
- Toss: Heinrich Klaasen (SEA) won the toss and opted to field.
- Seattle Orcas Innings: 142/6 in 20 overs
- Ryan Rickelton: 89 (52)
- Heinrich Klaasen: 23 (23)
- Key Bowler: Andre Russell (1/15)
- Los Angeles Knight Riders Innings: 143/6 in 19.1 overs
- Unmukt Chand: 62 (47)
- Jason Roy: 27 (24)
- Key Bowler: Harmeet Singh (2/27)
Key Moments
Corne Dry Draws the First Blood
Sunil Narine introduced Corne Dry in the third over of the innings, and the right-arm pacer drew first blood for the Knight Riders. He trapped Shehan Jayasuriya (2 off 9) on the second ball of his spell, providing early breakthroughs for his side.
Klaasen’s Unfortunate Run-Out
The Orcas skipper took his time to settle at the crease, building a steady innings of 23 runs. However, an unfortunate run-out ended his stay. On the final ball of the 12th over, Rickelton drove the ball straight down the ground and Narine got his fingertips on it, with the ball crashing into the stumps. Klaasen was backing up a little too far and failed to get his bat inside the crease on time. The TV replay confirmed that the ball had brushed Narine’s finger, and although Klaasen’s bat was inside the crease, it was in the air. 
Rickelton’s Rampage
The Protea batter is in sublime form in this MLC, having stockpiled 225 runs in four innings. Despite losing a couple of wickets inside the powerplay, Rickelton continued his merry ways and kept the scoreboard ticking for Orcas. He scored a valuable 89 runs off 52 balls, with seven fours and six sixes, helping his side cross the 140-run mark.
Sunil Narine’s Poor Form With The Bat Continues
The Knight Riders skipper has yet to score in double digits in this MLC, with 21 runs in 5 innings and 8 being his highest score. In this contest, he fell prey to Lungi Ngidi after scoring 8 runs in the third over.
Unmukt Chand’s Impactful Knock
The 26-year-old batter produced a pivotal knock for his side and helped them cross the line. Coming out to bat at number three, he played sensibly, rotating the strike and pouncing on looseners. The right-hander contributed a valuable 62 runs off 47 balls, with three fours and sixes each, which proved to be a match-winning knock for the Knight Riders.
Implications and Future Prospects
It was a sorry-looking scorecard for the Seattle side, as Rickelton (89) and Klaasen (23) were the only two batters to score in double digits. Their bowling was good in this contest, and had they scored 10-15 runs more, things might have been different. The Klaasen-led side has now lost four games on the trot, and their chances for the playoffs look bleak. They must win their remaining two matches to stay alive in this tournament.
On the flip side, the Knight Riders might have won the match but dragged the game until the final over. They could have finished the game earlier to bolster their net run rate (-1.070). Their middle-order batters failed to make any significant impact again, and if it wasn’t for Chand, they could have lost the game. With this win, the Knight Riders are still alive in the tournament, but they must win their last game to have a chance at advancing to the playoffs.
Upcoming Fixtures
- San Francisco Unicorns vs Seattle Orcas: July 20 (local time)
- Los Angeles Knight Riders vs MI New York: July 21 (local time)
Conclusion
The Los Angeles Knight Riders broke their three-match losing streak and are now alive in the tournament. They will look to carry the momentum into their final league game to grab two important points. With five points in six games, Sunil Narine and Co. are sitting at number four on the points table.
Conversely, the Seattle Orcas have lost four games on the trot and are languishing at the bottom of the points table. They will look to stage a solid comeback in their remaining two league matches to stay alive in the tournament.
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