154/3 (13.4)
CR : 11.27
150/7 (14.0)
CR : 10.71
Los Angeles Knight Riders won by 7 wickets 🏆
Player of the Match
Colin Munro
64(40)*
LAKR won by 7 wickets
06:08 AM IST, 07:38 PM Local Time: A fine start to the season as LA Knight Riders beat San Francisco Unicorns by seven wickets. The Knight Riders registered only two wins in the entire campaign last year but have done well to lay a marker this time around.
Chasing 151 for victory, Colin Munro and Andre Fletcher got the Knight Riders off to a blazing start. They raced off to 54/0 in the Powerplay as the Unicorns were put under severe pressure. It was only in the sixth over when Matthew Short had Fletcher caught at long-off for 34 (17). Just like the Unicorns did, the Knight Riders also slowed down a touch during the middle overs with the likes of Hassan Khan and Peter Siddle sneaking in some cheap overs.
Rovman Powell was given an early life off Brody Couch's bowling but Peter Siddle soon bounced him out with Ollie Peake redeeming himself. With 52 required off 4 overs, the game seemed to be in balance but Munro and Jason Holder combined to take 23 runs off Haris Rauf's bowling. Munro soon reached his fifty off 34 balls while Holder kept dealing in boundaries. Siddle eventually got the better of Holder with a slower bouncer but the game was done and dusted by then. Needing just four off the last over, Haris Rauf stretched the inevitable before Munro struck a boundary to seal the match with a couple of balls to spare.
Earlier in the match, the Unicorns' new opening pair of Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Finn Allen showed how dangerous they can be. The pair helped the Unicorns post 48/0 in the Powerplay before their 70-run stand was broken in the sixth over as Sunil Narine got the better of Allen with a knuckle ball.
Pretorius though went onto reach his fifty before he was dismissed for 58 by Andre Russell. Matthew Short played decently for his 20-ball 30 but the Unicorns lost their way after that with the likes of Carmi le Roux, Jason Holder and Shadley van Shalkwyk executing their death bowling skills to the T. In the end, Unicorns managed only 33/4 off the last five overs to finish with 150/7 which didn't prove to be enough against a powerful Knight Riders batting line-up.
Chasing 151 for victory, Colin Munro and Andre Fletcher got the Knight Riders off to a blazing start. They raced off to 54/0 in the Powerplay as the Unicorns were put under severe pressure. It was only in the sixth over when Matthew Short had Fletcher caught at long-off for 34 (17). Just like the Unicorns did, the Knight Riders also slowed down a touch during the middle overs with the likes of Hassan Khan and Peter Siddle sneaking in some cheap overs.
Rovman Powell was given an early life off Brody Couch's bowling but Peter Siddle soon bounced him out with Ollie Peake redeeming himself. With 52 required off 4 overs, the game seemed to be in balance but Munro and Jason Holder combined to take 23 runs off Haris Rauf's bowling. Munro soon reached his fifty off 34 balls while Holder kept dealing in boundaries. Siddle eventually got the better of Holder with a slower bouncer but the game was done and dusted by then. Needing just four off the last over, Haris Rauf stretched the inevitable before Munro struck a boundary to seal the match with a couple of balls to spare.
Earlier in the match, the Unicorns' new opening pair of Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Finn Allen showed how dangerous they can be. The pair helped the Unicorns post 48/0 in the Powerplay before their 70-run stand was broken in the sixth over as Sunil Narine got the better of Allen with a knuckle ball.
Pretorius though went onto reach his fifty before he was dismissed for 58 by Andre Russell. Matthew Short played decently for his 20-ball 30 but the Unicorns lost their way after that with the likes of Carmi le Roux, Jason Holder and Shadley van Shalkwyk executing their death bowling skills to the T. In the end, Unicorns managed only 33/4 off the last five overs to finish with 150/7 which didn't prove to be enough against a powerful Knight Riders batting line-up.
Matt Short (San Francisco Unicorns Captain): "[How did he feel about 150 at the halfway stage?] I think it was a little bit under par considering the start we had. Lhuan-dre Pretorius, on debut, batted really well. He put us into a really good position along with Finn Allen. I think we left a couple of runs out there. Credit to LAKR. They bowled really well towards the end. Yeah, just a little bit of polishing up with the ball.
[On their stutter at the end with the bat] Bit of both, I think. LAKR bowled well at the death. They didn't give us too much to hit. Probably some poor batting, too, including myself. Probably missed out on a couple of runs there towards the end. But yeah, credit to LAKR.
[Learnings from this game] It is a quick turnaround. It is the first game. A little bit to polish up on. A lot of fresh faces. We move on pretty quickly to face Texas Super Kings tomorrow and go again."
[On their stutter at the end with the bat] Bit of both, I think. LAKR bowled well at the death. They didn't give us too much to hit. Probably some poor batting, too, including myself. Probably missed out on a couple of runs there towards the end. But yeah, credit to LAKR.
[Learnings from this game] It is a quick turnaround. It is the first game. A little bit to polish up on. A lot of fresh faces. We move on pretty quickly to face Texas Super Kings tomorrow and go again."
Time for the post-match Presentation!
Lhuan-dre Pretorius has been named as the 'Power-Hitter of the Match'.
Jason Holder bags the 'Play of the Day' award.
Colin Munro has been named as the 'Most Valuable Player of the Match'.
Colin Munro (Most Valuable Player of the Match): "(Experience on MLC debut) It was awesome. Not bringing in a lot of cricket and form but had meaningful convos with the coaches.
(Thoughts on the tournament) I have been watching this tournament over the last three years, wanted to be a part of it.
(On the target and game as a whole) They started really well. To be brutally honest, we didn't bowl that well with the new ball. But we came back during the final overs. It was a nice target to chase down."
(Thoughts on the tournament) I have been watching this tournament over the last three years, wanted to be a part of it.
(On the target and game as a whole) They started really well. To be brutally honest, we didn't bowl that well with the new ball. But we came back during the final overs. It was a nice target to chase down."
Jason Holder (LA Knight Riders Captain): "I thought our death bowling was outstanding. We were very disciplined and executed nicely.
(Was the death bowling the difference in the end) I thought that was the difference in the end. Was a bit unsure if we batted first, what would have been a nice total.
(Rovman Powell at 3 and himself at 4) It is just down to the situation. Another two days' time, it might be different. We just need to be adaptable.
(Goal for the season) We want to lift the trophy. Anything short of that will be a disappointment for us. Don't want to look too far ahead but we are here to win it."
(Was the death bowling the difference in the end) I thought that was the difference in the end. Was a bit unsure if we batted first, what would have been a nice total.
(Rovman Powell at 3 and himself at 4) It is just down to the situation. Another two days' time, it might be different. We just need to be adaptable.
(Goal for the season) We want to lift the trophy. Anything short of that will be a disappointment for us. Don't want to look too far ahead but we are here to win it."
So, that is it from myself, Karthik Raj and my co-commentator, AkshayaKrishna Polya as we wrap up the coverage of this fixture. A note of thanks to our scorer, Bishal Mandal too. Do switch over to the coverage of the second MLC match of the day between Seattle Orcas and Washington Freedom. Cricket just doesn't stop here!