Seattle Orcas vs MI New York — MI New York won by 5 runs

MI New York won by 5 runs in the 17th match of 34 in the Major League Cricket regular season at Fairgrounds Cricket Stadium in Pomona. Romario Shepherd delivered a match-defining all-round performance – 3/16 from 4 overs with the ball and crucial lower-order runs – to edge Seattle Orcas in a tense finish. The win lifts MI New York to 3-2 (6pts, NRR +0.273) and keeps them in contention, while Seattle slip to 3-4 (6pts, NRR +0.199) with their playoff hopes under pressure.

MI New York Post 132 – De Kock Leads the Charge

Seattle won the toss and elected to bowl, but Quinton de Kock made them pay immediately. The South African opener smashed 61 off 46 balls (6 fours, 2 sixes) at a strike rate of 133, anchoring MI New York’s innings through the powerplay and into the middle overs. De Kock was caught at 99/1 in the 13th over, but by then the platform was set.

Tajinder Singh (23 off 20, 1 four, 1 six) and Nicholas Pooran (19 off 16, 2 sixes) kept the momentum going in the middle overs, building a 46-run stand. Kieron Pollard contributed 12 off 17 before falling at 127/5 in the 19th over. Trent Boult provided crucial late-order hitting with 7 off 5 (1 four) to push MI New York to 132 all out.

Marcus Stoinis was the standout bowler for Seattle, taking 3/14 from 4 overs at an economy of 3.5 – a miserly display that kept MI New York’s total in check. Jasdeep Singh took 2/36 from 4 overs, while Ottneil Baartman claimed 2/23 from 4.

Seattle Fall Short in Chase – Stoinis Shines Too Late

Seattle’s chase began poorly. Shayan Jahangir was clean bowled by Trent Boult for 8 at 13/2 in the 2nd over, and Tim Seifert fell for 9 at 31/1 in the 6th. Matthew Breetzke was caught for a duck at 14/3 in the 3rd over, leaving Seattle in early trouble.

Shehan Jayasuriya (19 off 18, 3 fours) and Shimron Hetmyer (13 off 10, 1 six) steadied the ship with a 36-run stand, but the real fireworks came from Marcus Stoinis. The all-rounder smashed 36 off 31 balls (5 fours, 1 six) at a strike rate of 116, building a crucial 66-run partnership with Jayasuriya to keep Seattle in the hunt. Stoinis was caught at 125/6 in the 19th over, and despite late cameos from Harmeet Singh (10 off 12) and Jasdeep Singh (16 off 8, 2 fours, 1 six), Seattle fell 5 runs short at 127/9.

Romario Shepherd was the architect of MI New York’s victory, claiming 3/16 from 4 overs – a devastating spell that broke Seattle’s back. Corbin Bosch took 1/11 from 4 overs at an economy of 2.75, while Kieron Pollard chipped in with 1/15 from 2 overs.

Statz MVP: Marcus Stoinis (Statz Rating: 173.31)

Marcus Stoinis earns the Statz MVP award with an mi_rating of 173.31 – the highest individual impact of the match. His 3/14 with the ball in the first innings was a masterclass in death bowling, and his 36 off 31 with the bat in the chase kept Seattle alive until the final over. The Australian all-rounder’s combined contribution across both disciplines was decisive, even in defeat.

Top 5 Statz Ratings

1. Marcus Stoinis (Seattle Orcas) – Statz Rating: 173.31 | 36 off 31 (SR 116) plus 3/14 from 4 overs (Econ 3.5). Dominant all-round display that nearly won the match.
2. Romario Shepherd (MI New York) – Statz Rating: 111.29 | 3/16 from 4 overs (Econ 4.0). Devastating spell that sealed victory in the death overs.
3. Corbin Bosch (MI New York) – Statz Rating: 74.66 | 1/11 from 4 overs (Econ 2.75). Economical bowling in a tight contest.
4. Jasdeep Singh (Seattle Orcas) – Statz Rating: 72.63 | 16 off 8 (SR 200, 2 fours, 1 six) plus 2/36 from 4 overs. Useful contribution with both bat and ball.
5. Quinton de Kock (MI New York) – Statz Rating: 72.3 | 61 off 46 (SR 133, 6 fours, 2 sixes). Commanding innings that set the tone for MI New York’s total.

Turning Point

The match turned when Romario Shepherd took 3/16 in the second innings, particularly the dismissal of Marcus Stoinis at 125/6 in the 19th over (ball 19.2). Stoinis had been carrying the chase at a strike rate of 116, and his departure left Seattle needing 8 off the final over with the tail exposed. Though Jasdeep Singh hit 16 off 8 in the final over, it proved 3 runs too few.

Match Context

This was the 17th match of 34 in the Major League Cricket regular season. MI New York (2nd, 3-2, 6pts, NRR +0.273) move level on points with Seattle but with a superior net run rate, keeping their playoff push on track. Seattle remain 3rd (3-4, 6pts, NRR +0.199) but face mounting pressure with five matches remaining. Check the full scorecard on Statz for the complete breakdown, or explore the bet builder for deeper analysis.