San Francisco Unicorns beat Seattle Orcas by 6 wickets (with 6 balls remaining) – Major League Cricket Match Report
San Francisco Unicorns won by 6 wickets (with 6 balls remaining) in the 28th match of 34 in Major League Cricket at Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas. Finn Allen produced a devastating 65 off 31 balls to steer the Unicorns home in a chase that never wavered, despite Seattle Orcas posting 190 for 7. The win keeps San Francisco top of the standings on 12 points from 10 matches, while Seattle slip to fifth (8 points from 10).
Seattle’s Batting Blitz
Seattle won the toss and elected to bat, and their top order came out swinging. Tim Seifert fell early for 9 at 26/1 in the 2.5th over, but Shehan Jayasuriya struck immediately with 16 off 8 (2 fours, 1 six) before being clean bowled at 34/3. The real damage came from Matthew Breetzke, who hammered 55 off 29 (3 fours, 4 sixes) at a strike rate of 190 to anchor the innings. Shimron Hetmyer added 36 off 21 (5 fours) in a breezy cameo, while Marcus Stoinis contributed 49 off 35 (5 fours, 2 sixes) to push Seattle past 180.
Xavier Bartlett was the standout bowler for San Francisco, taking 2 for 36 from 4 overs, while Peter Siddle claimed 1 for 31 from 4. Matthew Short and Brody Couch each took a wicket, though Aaron Hardie went for 42 runs from 3 overs without reward.
Allen’s Explosive Chase
San Francisco’s reply began cautiously when Lhuan-dre Pretorius fell for 14 at 27/1 in the 3.3rd over. But Finn Allen took the attack to Seattle’s bowlers with ruthless intent, smashing 65 off just 31 balls (3 fours, 6 sixes) at a strike rate of 210. His explosive knock shifted the momentum decisively, and by the time he was caught at 108/2 in the 10.5th over, the chase was effectively won.
Matthew Short steadied the ship with 43 off 36 (2 fours, 2 sixes), building a 47-run stand with Sanjay Krishnamurthi (26 off 18, 1 four, 2 sixes) to take San Francisco to the brink. The finishing touch came from Hassan Khan, who blasted 36 off just 10 balls (2 fours, 4 sixes) at a strike rate of 360 to seal victory with 6 balls to spare. Khan‘s cameo was the perfect punctuation mark on a dominant chase.
Lutho Sipamla took 1 for 32 from 3 overs for Seattle, while Jasdeep Singh, Cameron Gannon, and Ali Sheikh each claimed a wicket. Stoinis went for 48 from 4 overs without taking a wicket.
Statz MVP: Hassan Khan (Statz Rating: 96.6)
Hassan Khan earns the Statz MVP award with a rating of 96.6 – a match-defining performance that came in the final overs. His 36 off 10 balls with the bat, struck at a remarkable 360, provided the explosive finish San Francisco needed. Khan also bowled 4 overs for 25 runs without conceding a boundary, demonstrating control in the middle overs. His combined impact across both disciplines was decisive in securing the victory.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Hassan Khan (SFU) – Statz Rating: 96.6 | 36 off 10 (SR 360, 2 fours, 4 sixes) plus 4/25 with the ball. Explosive finish and economical bowling.
- Finn Allen (SFU) – Statz Rating: 90.15 | 65 off 31 (SR 210, 3 fours, 6 sixes). Devastating counter-attack that won the match.
- Matthew Breetzke (SO) – Statz Rating: 75.23 | 55 off 29 (SR 190, 3 fours, 4 sixes). Anchored Seattle’s innings with a powerful display.
- Matthew Short (SFU) – Statz Rating: 55.7 | 43 off 36 with the bat plus 1/35 with the ball. Steady hand in the chase and economical bowling.
- Marcus Stoinis (SO) – Statz Rating: 55.19 | 49 off 35 (SR 140, 5 fours, 2 sixes). Valuable contribution in the middle order.
Turning Point
The match turned decisively when Finn Allen took strike in the powerplay. His 65 off 31 balls, struck at 210, came when San Francisco needed aggressive intent, and he delivered it in spades. By the time he fell at 108/2 in the 10.5th over, the Unicorns needed just 86 from 57 balls with five wickets in hand – a chase that was never in doubt. Allen’s explosive start set the tone for a clinical victory.
Match Context
This was the 28th match of 34 in the Major League Cricket regular season. San Francisco Unicorns (1st, 6W 4L, 12pts) maintain their position at the top of the standings with a net run rate of 0.487, while Seattle Orcas (5th, 4W 6L, 8pts) slip further down the table. Check the full scorecard on Statz for the complete breakdown, or explore the bet builder for alternative match angles.
