Match 19, Dallas, June 29, 2025, 01:30 AM
Washington Freedom
169/6(20.0ov)
San Francisco Unicorns
157/9(20.0ov)
Washington Freedom beat San Francisco Unicorns by 12 runs
Right then, that will be it from us for this contest and finally, San Francisco Unicorns have lost one game as Washington Freedom get revenge for that opening day defeat. Next up, there is one more game scheduled at this venue and it will be LA Knight Riders taking on Seattle Orcas in a crucial tie. The Orcas have opted to bowl first in that one and you can switch tabs and straightaway tune in to our coverage. Cheers!
Glenn Maxwell, the skipper of Washington Freedom, says that he was really happy with the score they put on, especially given the position they were in and that is the ease of a deep batting order. Goes on to applaud Pienaar and Mukhtar for their efforts. Reckons that when he went out to bat, he tried to play it like a One Day game and take things deep, but he got out and luckily, Phillips was able to fill that role. Mentions that you need to work out what works on a given wicket and applauds the way Amila Aponso bowled and even the way Owen bowled and is happy to see the qualified tag next to his team's name.
Mitchell Owen wins the Player of the Match award for picking up a five-fer. He says that he is really happy with his performance. He continues that it's performances like these that will boost his morale to bowl better in upcoming matches. He also says that he got a bit lucky for picking a couple of wickets and the pitch was also a bit bowler-friendly as the balls were slowing up after pitching. He ends up saying that he is sticking to the process, but today he got a bit excited seeing his mate Xavier Bartlett bowling to him and wanted to hit him for a six on the first ball.
Presentation time...
Earlier in the game, after winning the toss, the Freedom had a shaky start at 13/3 due to Bartlett's three wickets. But they rose from the difficult situation when Edwards and Phillips added 71 runs, with Phillips scoring a solid fifty. Late contributions from Pienaar and Mukhtar Ahmed helped WF reach 169, including a big finish that saw 33 runs in the last two overs. Xavier Bartlett on the other hand, single-handedly cleared all the top order batters and bagged four wickets in.
Matthew Short, the captain of San Francisco Unicorns, says that after the start with the ball, it was disappointing to see Washington get to that total and they missed out on their execution. Adds that the wicket is a used one and it is tougher for the new batters to get going and they should have taken things down a notch and looked for one big partnership. Reckons that it has been a fine season and there are just a few things they need to work on.
The bowlers executed their plan flawlessly, applying relentless pressure on the opposition by effectively stopping the flow of boundaries. This strategic approach ultimately led to the crucial wicket of the powerful Matthew Short. Credit must be given to Glenn Maxwell's captaincy, his seasoned experience and tactical adjustments to the bowling lineup were absolutely spot on. With the dismissal of the Unicorns' skipper, Washington Freedom's hopes grew stronger with each fallen wicket. Mitchell Owen, the standout performer of the match, delivered a stellar five-wicket haul, while Amila Aponso, Jack Edwards, Rachin Ravindra, and Ian Holland each contributed by taking one wicket, further cementing their dominance on the field. In the death overs, Jahmar Hamilton's knock put us on the edge of our seats. But things didn't turn out as he expected.
What a rollercoaster of a match we just witnessed! Washington Freedom wins the encounter against San Francisco Unicorns by 12 runs! San Francisco Unicorns burst onto the scene with an impressive start, skillfully seizing control of the match, something they've done consistently this season. Skipper Matthew Short once again rose to the occasion, delivering a solid foundation for the innings. He aggressively targeted the pacers, capitalizing on any loose deliveries with confidence. However, the spinners from Washington Freedom showcased their prowess by claiming two crucial wickets in consecutive overs, shifting the momentum back in their favor and applying significant pressure on the Unicorns.
In over# 20
1
1
6
4
1
1
Saurabh Netravalkar 43/0(4)
19.6
1
That is it, Washington Freedom have done it and they have qualified for the playoffs as well. Another wide yorker, Liam Plunkett jams it out in front of point and picks up a single. WASHINGTON WIN BY 12 RUNS!
19.5
1
Full and wide, gets it spot-on this time, Hamilton squeezes it away to deep point for a single.
19.4
6
SIX! Jahmar Hamilton finishing with a flourish, unfortunately, it doesn't matter now. Full and darted in towards the pads, Hamilton stays very deep in the crease, snaps the wrists and lofts it over long on for a six.
19.3
4
FOUR! Gets it through! Full and wide, Jahmar Hamilton hangs back and loads up on the back foot before drilling the drive to the right of cover for a boundary.
19.2
1
Hard length over leg, swung away towards deep mid-wicket for a single by Plunkett.
19.1
1
Full and wide outside off, Jahmar Hamilton slaps the ball straight to covers and sets off for the single. Mitchell Owen has a shy at the bowler's end but misses. Had he hit, Hamilton wasn't even in the frame.
In over# 19
1
1
0W
0W
1
1wd
2
Mitchell Owen 17/5(3)
18.6
1
Full again and outside off, jammed out towards cover for one more.
18.5
1
No hat-trick! Full and straight, punched back past the bowler for a single.
Liam Plunkett is the last man in
OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Mitchell gets a Michelle, the first of MLC 2025. Mitchell Owen bangs this one in on a hard length and bowls it around off. Brody Couch stays leg side of the ball and swings across the line, getting a thick outside edge. Andries Gous takes a sharp catch to his left and Owen becomes just the third player in the history of MLC to take a five-wicket haul, and he's an opening batter, wow.