San Francisco Unicorns Triumph Over Seattle Orcas

Matthew Short and Finn Allen’s explosive partnership and strategic bowling secures a 23-Run victory

The San Francisco Unicorns clinched a 23-run victory, moving up to the third spot /

By Moses Ochieng

Early in the game, the Unicorns were sent in to bat first and faced an early setback with JFM’s quick dismissal. However, Matthew Short and Finn Allen ignited the innings with an explosive partnership, adding 75 runs and boosting the score significantly. The momentum shifted when both batsmen fell in rapid succession, and the boundary flow ceased. Cameron Gannon and Imad Wasim capitalized on this, each taking three crucial wickets and tightening the Unicorns' innings. Just as it seemed the Unicorns might falter, Krishnamurthy launched a late assault, lifting the total to a competitive 165, which ultimately proved decisive.

On the bowling front, the Unicorns likely felt they were short by 10-15 runs. Desperately needing a breakthrough during the powerplay, they rotated six bowlers but couldn’t secure a wicket. The tide turned when Plunkett broke through with the first wicket, followed by Short’s quick success and Cummins’ key dismissal of a well-set Jayasuriya despite conceding runs. These crucial wickets shifted the momentum as the Unicorns’ bowlers cleverly employed slower deliveries to disrupt the Orcas. The bowlers then dismantled the opposition’s line up, conceding minimal runs and sealing the game in style.

As the innings advanced, the Orcas fell behind the required run rate, especially after Jayasuriya was dismissed. Despite needing a steady partnership to relieve the pressure, they continued to lose wickets rapidly, with all their power hitters failing to make an impact. What once seemed like a controlled chase quickly unraveled in the mid-overs, leading to a collapse from which they couldn't recover.

The San Francisco Unicorns clinched a 23-run victory, moving up to the third spot. A commendable effort by the Men in Orange and Blue. In contrast, the Seattle Orcas will be disappointed with how their chase unraveled in the second half. They began their pursuit of 166 with a cautious approach, as Shehan Jayasuriya and Ryan Rickelton formed a steady opening partnership, capitalizing on loose deliveries. Jayasuriya, the primary aggressor, displayed impeccable timing and appeared in control. Despite wickets falling around him, Jayasuriya remained steadfast, scoring a resilient half-century.

"It was a good outing overall. The new ball came on nicely but when it slowed down, it got tough to play the strokes," Corey Anderson, the victorious skipper of the San Francisco Unicorns, said in media reports.

He thanked Sanjay Krishnamurthi, stating, "He is a young lad and he played a good crucial cameo."

On Pat Cummins, Anderson commented, "Cummins is a world-class player and just having him in the group is a huge luxury."

"We will plan how to approach the next game in Dallas and look to get on a roll now," He concluded.