MATCH REPORT
Follow UsBreaking the pattern, Seattle Orcas became the first team to successfully chase a total in the MLC. Being the evening game of Saturday's double header, the weather was a lot more conducive to T20 cricket. Although, this turned out to be a low scoring thriller, as opposed to the run glut we saw in the noon encounter.
Seattle Orcas (SEO) won the toss and opted to bowl. The Orcas’ skipper Wayne Parnell seemed to have taken the right call as they had Washington Freedom (WAF) three down at the end of the powerplay.
WAF skipper Moises Henriques and keeper Andries Gous then had a 44-run-partnership to help them come back into the game. But, their dismissals off consecutive deliveries put SEO right ahead again.
Akeal Hossain then hit a brilliant cameo to help the Freedom put up a respectable 144 on the board. The spinners did a fantastic job of limiting run scoring, conceding just 43 runs in their eight overs. Imad Wasim was the pick of the bowlers, ending the day with figures of 1/19 in his four overs, despite bowling a couple of overs in the powerplay.
As has been the trend, the Orcas got off to a rocky start losing three early wickets including the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen. It was Imad Wasim to the rescue once again. He put on a crucial 54-run-stand with Nauman Anwar to bring their team back to safer shores.
Anwar got out trying to accelerate just two runs short of his fifty. Just when it seemed like WAF had an opening, they decided to make a mess of it by giving Hetmyer two chances. This included a fairly straightforward drop by Saurabh Netravalkar. Hetmyer then chopped one on to his stumps, with five needed of four balls. Shubham Ranjane then performed finishing duties by scoring two boundaries off the first two balls he faced, giving the Orcas their first ever win.
Moises Henriques felt that it was a competitive surface, and a couple of dropped catches going their way could have helped them.
"It was a good game of cricket. It was the third game on that wicket and it was just starting to show a bit of up-and-down. When I was batting, there were a few that were starting to keep low. It definitely got easier as the ball got older. When the ball was new and hard, there was more variable bounce. We fought our way to mid-140s. If we had held our chances, we had our moments to win the game."
Imad Wasim was awarded Player of the Match was his all-round performance.
"The wicket was really good in the first half. We bowled well to restrict them. In the second half, it was really tough and we had to grind it out, and go over by over. My batting plan is simple. Always be calm and see the scoreboard. See who you want to target. In powerplay, it is hard to bat. The way to go is to play cricketing shots and not take many risks. Once you go through that phase, you can always catch up. When I saw the conditions, they were demanding and I had to grind my way through and not leave too much at the end."
