SFU VS SO T20S

Right then, that is it from this entertaining game where San Francisco Unicorns remain unbeaten while Seattle Orcas remain winless. The action in the MLC 2025 continues on Friday, 27th June, where LA Knight Riders take on the Washington Freedom at the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium. That will begin at 12 am GMT, but as you know, you can always join us early for all the build-up to the match. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

Matthew Short, the victorious skipper of San Francisco Unicorns, starts by saying that it feels nice to become the first team to qualify for the playoffs. Says that the boys are in good spirits and they’ve had a fantastic start to the tournament overall. Adds to that, in the last few games, they’ve really played to their strengths and shown what they’re capable of, but today just felt slightly off the mark. Mentions that the lack of a solid partnership through the innings hurt them, and that made the difference. States that Romario Shepherd’s knock was a real game-changer, with his power-hitting proving to be the defining moment. Further adds that despite the pressure, the bowlers deserve a lot of credit for sticking to their plans and continuing to deliver good balls under tough circumstances. Talks about how the team now has a short break, and with a couple of days off, there’s going to be plenty of golf and time to reset before they move on to the next challenge.

Romario Shepherd is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his all-round brilliance. He says that the coach told him to take his time at that stage as there were a lot of overs left. Adds that he loves batting, and hitting sixes is his favourite part of it. Says that he was trying to respect the good deliveries as Gerald Coetzee was bowling fast, and then targeted the final overs. Mentions that the training and atmosphere around the team are pretty great, and he is not surprised by the results.

Presentation Time...

The captain of the Seattle Orcas, Heinrich Klaasen, starts by saying that they might have given 10 to 15 runs extra, but overall, they were still quite satisfied with the target they had after the first inning, and they should have chased it down. Adds to that, in this fast-paced format, it’s never easy to build consistent form, and the key is to keep playing with intent and positivity. Mentions that at times, things just don’t click, as they keep finding fielders or getting out in unfortunate ways. States that staying mentally strong and positive is important, and they believe the tide will eventually turn in their favour. Further adds that there are a couple of players in the squad who had been under the radar earlier due to limited exposure, which is probably why they missed out on initial chances, but they’re now stepping up with an aggressive mindset and providing strong starts. Talks about how the team still sees themselves in contention for a playoff spot, and they’re banking on winning their remaining matches while hoping for favourable results from other teams to stay in the hunt.

Last season’s finalists, San Francisco Unicorns, are once again proving to be a formidable force this time around. With six wins from six games, they remain unbeaten and look nearly unstoppable. Although they were under the pump early on, taking some serious punishment in the Powerplay, they never lost belief and kept themselves in the contest. Romario Shepherd broke the opening stand to give them a much-needed breakthrough, before the skipper, Matthew Short, took matters into his own hands, weaving a brilliant spell to claim three crucial wickets. Haris Rauf then ripped through the lower order with a four-wicket haul, and it was Xavier Bartlett who applied the finishing touches for the table-toppers.

Earlier in the game, San Francisco Unicorns got off to a flying start, thanks to a blazing half-century from Matthew Short and a solid contribution by Jake Fraser-McGurk. They looked set for a massive total, but a sudden middle-order collapse derailed their momentum. Fortunately for them, Romario Shepherd’s explosive fifty rescued the innings and helped them post a competitive score. For Seattle Orcas, Gerald Coetzee and Harmeet Singh stood out with the ball, while Cameron Gannon and Obed McCoy chipped in with a wicket apiece.

Seattle Orcas got off to a blistering start in the chase, with Shayan Jahangir taking the attack to the bowlers right from the outset. He hammered a quick 40 off just 22 balls, while David Warner played the supporting role in a solid 66-run opening partnership. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but the momentum shifted dramatically once Jahangir was dismissed. From 66/0, the Orcas suddenly found themselves reeling at 73/4. Shimron Hetmyer and Sujit Nayak tried to steady the innings and offered some resistance, with Hettie scoring a brisk 30 off 16. However, as the required rate kept climbing, they too fell, and once again, the chase slipped out of Seattle’s grasp, ultimately getting bundled out for 144.

SAN FRANCISCO UNICORNS ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS! They’ve become the first team this season to secure a spot in the knockouts, and we’re only halfway through the league. That speaks volumes about their consistency and ability to find a way, even in tough games like this one. On the other hand, it's more heartbreak for the Seattle Orcas, who just can’t seem to turn things around. Their winless run now stretches to 10 matches, carrying over from last season, and the wait for a breakthrough continues.

OUT! CAUGHT! Another excellent catch by the skipper of San Francisco Unicorns, and they have qualified for the playoffs, becoming the first team to do so in MLC 2025. A slower delivery, short and outside off, Jasdeep Singh backs away and looks to go over covers for a big lofted shot. He gets deceived by the lack of pace on it, and the ball goes high in the air towards extra cover, where Matthew Short runs backwards and puts in a dive forward to grab another stunning catch. San Francisco Unicorns win by 32 runs.

OUT! CAUGHT! Another excellent catch by the skipper of San Francisco Unicorns, and they have qualified for the playoffs, becoming the first team to do so in MLC 2025. A slower delivery, short and outside off, Jasdeep Singh backs away and looks to go over covers for a big lofted shot. He gets deceived by the lack of pace on it, and the ball goes high in the air towards extra cover, where Matthew Short runs backwards and puts in a dive forward to grab another stunning catch. San Francisco Unicorns win by 32 runs.

FOUR! Boundary amidst the chaos for Orcas! Full and around off, Jasdeep Singh clears out his front leg away and thumps it over the bowler's head for a boundary.

Obed McCoy is the last man in.

OUT! CAUGHT! Another good catch from Unicorns, and Haris Rauf picks up his fourth wicket of the night as he ends his spell with the figures of 4-0-32-4. Bowls it a bit fuller and around middle and leg, Cameron Gannon backs away and looks to loft it down the ground, but the ball follows him, and he gets cramped up for room. Ends up mistiming it in the air towards wide long on, where Brody Couch runs forward to his right a bit and pouches it by making a dive low just above the ground.

OUT! CAUGHT! Another good catch from Unicorns, and Haris Rauf picks up his fourth wicket of the night as he ends his spell with the figures of 4-0-32-4. Bowls it a bit fuller and around middle and leg, Cameron Gannon backs away and looks to loft it down the ground, but the ball follows him, and he gets cramped up for room. Ends up mistiming it in the air towards wide long on, where Brody Couch runs forward to his right a bit and pouches it by making a dive low just above the ground.

Another slower delivery, full and outside off, Gannon squeezes it towards deep backward point for a couple of runs.

BEATEN! Takes the pace off, does Rauf and bowls it a bit fuller, just outside off, Cameron Gannon gets surprised and plays his shot a bit early and misses it.