MLC 2023: San Francisco Unicorns Register Their Second Win; Beat Knight Riders by 21 runs
It was a chance for LAKR to register their first win of the tournament when they took on the San Francisco Unicorns in MLC. Electing to bat first after winning the toss the Unicorns got off to a flier as the opening pair of Mathew Wade and Finn Allen added 88 for the first wicket in just 7.4 overs.
Wade was the severe of the two as the Australian wicketkeeper scored 78 off just 41 balls with the help of 7 fours and 5 sixes at a strike rate of 190. His partner at the other end Finn Allen made 20 off 19 deliveries providing good support to Mathew Wade.
Stoinis Takes LAKR to the cleaners
Stoinis who walked in at number three after the fall of Allen’s wicket kept on piling the misery on the LAKR bowlers as he stroked a quickfire 37 off just 18 balls capitalizing on the good work done by the openers. The rate of scoring went down a little when Stoinis got out in the 13th over of the innings which was soon followed by the wicket of Mathew Wade.
The LAKR bowlers were able to pull things back a little with two quick wickets before Corey Anderson took and provided the finishing touches by scoring a 20-ball 39 helping the Unicorns go past 200 and end up with a score of 212 for 7 at the end of 20 overs. Adam Zampa was the pick of the bowlers for LAKR as the Australian picked up 3 for 41 in his four overs.
Russell mania not enough
Chasing a mammoth target of 213 LAKR got off to a positive start as openers Jason Roy and Unmukt Chand added 55 runs for the first wicket in 4.5 overs before Roy got out after scoring a brisk 45 off just 21 balls. Chand was also out for 20 off 17 balls when the scoreboard read 71 for 2 in 7.1 overs.
Nitish Kumar Played a good hand of 31 off 23 balls which included 3 fours and one six but as he was looking set the batter got out to Corey Anderson who dismissed him after being hit for four boundaries in the over.
LAKR kept on losing wickets and were 116 for 5 in 13,1 overs before Russell and LAKR captain Sunil Narine stitched a much-needed 75 runs partnership for the sixth wicket which gave LAKR some hope of a win. But it was not to be as the Unicorns were able to defend 212 quite easily in the end. Shadab Khan was the star with the ball for the Unicorns picking up 2 for 26 in his 4 overs.
