and Maxwell finishes it with another powerful blow! Washington Freedom march into the MLC final! Half-tracker outside off. Maxwell lines it up really early and belts it over mid on to seal the deal. Smiles and embraces all around in the Washington Freedom camp, and this has been a walk in the park for them!
SF vs Washington, Qualifier at Dallas, MLC, Jul 25 2024 - Match Result
RESULT
Qualifier (N), Dallas, July 25, 2024, Major League Cricket
(15.3/20 ov, T:146) 149/3
Washington won by 7 wickets (with 27 balls remaining)
Match centre
Scores: Binoy George | Comms: Shashwat KumarScorecard summary
San Francisco Unicorns • 145/10(19 overs)
57 (36)
4/11 (2.4)
26 (19)
3/46 (4)
Washington Freedom • 149/3(15.3 overs)
77* (44)
2/32 (4)
54* (23)
1/19 (3)
Cricinfo’s Most Valuable Players of the Match
11:10pm That brings us to the end of our coverage for this game. Washington are through to the final and they now await the winner of the Challenger, which is scheduled for tomorrow between the San Francisco Unicorns and the Texas Super Kings. We hope to have your company for that encounter too, and until then, this is goodbye from Binoy, me and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo. Take care, folks!
Travis Head, Player of the Match: (What has helped his form) Batting in the powerplay (smiles). Nice to get a match-winning score and looking forward to a few days off. My job is to get us off to a good start and get a fast start. Few wickets fell today, so tried to take my time a little more. That (attacking in the powerplay) is the role I have been given and it is working. Really good wicket (here in Texas), swung a bit today. Felt there were a few vulnerable stages with the high-risk shots but that can happen. (On the message from head coach Ricky Ponting and the support staff) Left me alone, let me do my thing. Nice that I have been able to repay (their faith).
Steve Smith, Washington Freedom captain: It has been good fun, we have a good bunch of guys. They gelled together really quickly. Really good campaign, helps when you win games of cricket along the way. Nice to win tonight and get to the big dance. (On the instructions to the bowlers with the new ball) Just try and take wickets. With the new ball, on this wicket, you have to try and take inroads. It gets easier as the innings goes on. The bowlers did a magnificent job. It was a few under-par. Then Travis and Maxi played unbelievably well. Travis has been in unbelievable form for a while and he just keeps on going. He is clear, confident, and sees the ball and hits it. He has really good bat speed, when he hits it, the ball flies. He is getting into good positions and he is playing beautifully. Hopefully one more big knock from him (in the final).
Corey Anderson, San Francisco Unicorns captain: Always tough when you lose four wickets early on. We gave ourselves a chance but we were 20-30 runs short. In other games, we were able to defend that. Head played an unbelievable innings and then Maxwell came out, put the icing on the cake. We were short of our best. The way our line-up is, the way they play their best is when they go hard and take risks. With risks, there can be failures but you cannot get down too low. We pick ourselves quickly and go again tomorrow.
Rachin Ravindra: (On his bowling) It was good. Smudge trusts me in those little moments. Boys had a good powerplay, was able to bash a length and happy it worked out. My role as a sixth bowler, sometimes I may not get to bowl but today, the match-ups were there. Just about working hard (and being ready). I want to continue being a genuine all-rounder. Good for the team if I can bat in the top three-four and then bowl a few overs. Great thing about franchise cricket these days is you can soak in as much as you can. Be a sponge, learn what they do, the processes they do. Learning from those guys (like Head) is great. I am still learning on the role, good to have guys around me who have done it. For me, it is about learning from each experience and it can only help me as a cricketer playing these different roles.
10:50pm A professional and a bruising run-chase, spearheaded and headlined by two of Australia's finest white-ball cricketers at the moment. Head did the bulk of the early lifting, demolishing the Unicorns inside the powerplay, even as Smith fell early and Gous struggled for rhythm. There was a brief lull after the field restrictions were lifted but the tempo was picked up towards the end, with Maxwell finding some form with the willow. He smashed 54 off 23 and ensured that Washington iced the chase with more than four overs to spare.
A bad day at the office for the Unicorns. They did not have enough runs on the board and were always playing catch-up in the second innings. They lacked penetration too and could not maximise the longer boundary to one side. Cummins and Hassan were among the wickets, and that was perhaps it as far as their bowling display was concerned.
15.3
4
Haris Rauf to Maxwell, FOUR runs
Score level
15.2
6
Haris Rauf to Maxwell, SIX runs
this is outrageous batting! Short on middle and off. Maxwell is ready for it and gets into a very similar position. Front hip opened up and he smacks it flat into the cushion in the deep mid wicket region! Brings up his fifty too!
15.1
4
Haris Rauf to Maxwell, FOUR runs
my word, that has gone to the fence like a tracer bullet! Dug into the track on leg stump. Maxwell knows it is coming and opens up his stance, swatting it away like a fly, into the deep square leg fence!
Rauf returns. Washington need 11 to make the final and they have 30 balls to do so
end of over 1515 runs
WSF: 135/3CRR: 9.00 • RRR: 2.20 • Need 11 from 30b
Glenn Maxwell40 (20b 2x4 4x6)
Travis Head77 (44b 10x4 3x6)
Hassan Khan 4-0-32-2
Corey Anderson 1-0-15-0
14.6
1
Hassan to Maxwell, 1 run
very full on off. Maxwell cannot get under this too and drives it to long on
14.5
•
Hassan to Maxwell, no run
into the blockhole just outside off. Maxwell cannot jam down on it and is lucky the ball does not kiss the outside of off stump
Just 12 needed now
14.4
6
Hassan to Maxwell, SIX runs
fetch that too! Slowed up considerably and hung up wide outside off. Does not matter to Maxwell, though. Reaches out, holds his shape and biffs it over long on!
14.3
1
Hassan to Head, 1 run
fired in full on leg stump. Head works it towards long on
14.2
1
Hassan to Maxwell, 1 run
tossed up again, on a full length outside off. Maxwell tries to hit it too hard and tugs it towards long on
14.1
6
Hassan to Maxwell, SIX runs
more retribution for Maxwell, and this is gigantic! Floated up into the slot outside off. Maxwell clears his front leg, winds up and clatters it a 103m, over long on!
end of over 1415 runs
WSF: 120/3CRR: 8.57 • RRR: 4.33 • Need 26 from 36b
Travis Head76 (43b 10x4 3x6)
Glenn Maxwell26 (15b 2x4 2x6)
Corey Anderson 1-0-15-0
Pat Cummins 3-1-19-1
Anderson did not bowl a bad over, yet, conceded 15. Such is this format...
13.6
•
Anderson to Head, no run
length just outside off. Head has a pop at it but the ball nips back just enough to beat the inside edge
13.5
1
Anderson to Maxwell, 1 run
shortish on the pads. Maxwell tucks it away towards deep backward square leg
13.5
1w
Anderson to Maxwell, 1 wide
short ball that slides down leg. Maxwell ducks under it and the umpire has to indulge in some exercise
Around the wicket to Maxwell
13.4
1
Anderson to Head, 1 run
did that carry?! Full and wide outside off. Head throws his hands at it and slices it uppishly towards deep backward point. Rutherford tracks it all the way and then dives forward to complete the catch. Very similar to the Ferguson catch, and the ball, on this occasion too, has touched the grass. Head stays!
13.3
4
Anderson to Head, FOUR runs
innovation at its best! Length ball well outside off. Head anticipates the line really early, moves across his stumps and laps it over short fine leg!
Third man on the fence now
13.2
4
Anderson to Head, FOUR runs
more fortune for Travis Head! Back of a length outside off again. Head continues swinging and this time, gets an outside edge that loops over short third!
13.1
4
Anderson to Head, FOUR runs
streaky but it all counts! Back of a length outside off. Head has a wild swipe across the line and skews it off the top edge. Luckily for him, it clears the keeper comfortably
Captain Anderson brings himself on. Final roll of the dice?
end of over 1313 runs
WSF: 105/3CRR: 8.07 • RRR: 5.85 • Need 41 from 42b
Glenn Maxwell25 (14b 2x4 2x6)
Travis Head63 (38b 7x4 3x6)
Pat Cummins 3-1-19-1
Juanoy Drysdale 2-0-18-0
12.6
4
Cummins to Maxwell, FOUR runs
deft touch! Off-pace on a shortish length outside off. Maxwell peels the outer cover off the ball and knifes it between backward point and short third!
12.5
•
Cummins to Maxwell, no run
length outside off. Maxwell jabs it towards extra cover
12.4
2
Cummins to Maxwell, 2 runs
short and wide outside off. Maxwell goes deep into his crease and cuts it through point for a couple of runs
12.4
1w
Cummins to Maxwell, 1 wide
banged into the track outside off. Sails over the batter's head and called a wide
Best performances - batters
Spike Graph
Wagon Zone
WSF
77 runs (44)
10 fours3 sixes
Productive shot
cut shot
20 runs
4 fours0 six
Control
66%
57 runs (36)
0 four6 sixes
Productive shot
on drive
20 runs
0 four3 sixes
Control
84%
Best performances - bowlers
WSF
O
2.4
M
1
R
11
W
4
ECO
4.12
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W | 1W | 2W | ||
LEGOFF
LHB
WSF
O
4
M
0
R
46
W
3
ECO
11.5
FTYFGSGS
OFFLEG
RHB
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
LEGOFF
LHB
1W | ||||
Match details
| Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas | |
| Toss | Washington Freedom, elected to field first |
| Series | |
| Season | 2024 |
| Player Of The Match | |
| Series result | Washington Freedom advanced |
| Match days | 25 July 2024 - night (20-over match) |
| Umpires | |
| TV Umpire | |
| Reserve Umpire | |
| Match Referee | |
Language
English
Win Probability
WSF 100%
SFWSF100%50%100%
Over 16 • WSF 149/3
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