The Los Angeles Knight Riders secured their first victory in Major League Cricket (MLC) after defeating table toppers Seattle Orcas by two wickets at Church Street Park, Morrisville on Sunday.
Rilee Rossouw played a magnificent knock of 78 runs off 38 balls to guide the LA Knight Riders to victory after his team had a shaky start to their innings. The Seattle Orcas won the toss and elected to bat first. The Orcas had a decent start to the game thanks to their openers, Quinton de Kock and Nauman Anwar. Quinton de Kock (10) failed to build on his start as his wicket fell in the 4th over. Soon after Anwar (32 in 20 balls, with five fours) lost his wicket as the Orcas were closing in on the 50-run mark. Shehan Jayasuriya and Heinrich Klaasen led the charge from there on for the Seattle Orcas. However, Klaasen (25 in 13 balls, with three fours and a six) lost his wicket in the 9th over as he failed to build on his blistering knock.
Shehan Jayasuriya along with Shubham Ranjane guided the Orcas past the 100-run mark. However, Ranjane (8) lost his wicket cheaply soon after. Dasun Shanaka (7) followed suit as he was unable to construct a meaningful partnership with Jayasuriya. While wickets were falling around him Jayasuriya was in fine knick and scored a crucial half-century. After coming out to bat Imad Wasim backed Jayasuriya up brilliantly as they took the Orcas past the 150-run mark. Wasim (19) lost his wicket in the final over soon after which the first innings came to a close. The Seattle Orcas had amassed 170 runs in their 20 overs for the loss of six wickets. Shehan Jayasuriya remained not out at 60 runs off 45 balls, with seven fours and a six.
Adam Zampa picked up two wickets for the LA Knight Riders, while Spencer Johnson, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, and Shadley van Schalkwyk picked up one wicket each.
The LA Knight Riders had a terrible start to the second innings. Jason Roy (2), Jaskaran Malhotra (2), and Gajanand Singh (3) had lost their wickets cheaply by the start of the 3rd over. Saif Badar (10) soon followed them back to the pavilion as by the 5th over the Knight Riders had amassed 22 runs for the loss of four wickets. The powerful duo of Rilee Rossouw and Andre Russell steadied the ship for the Knight Riders as they guided their team past the 50-run mark.
After Andre Rusell and Rilee Rossouw constructed a 67-run partnership, Andre Russell (37 in 29 balls with four boundaries and two sixes) lost his wicket in the 12th over as he failed to build on his solid start. Soon after, Sunil Narine (8) lost his wicket cheaply after the Knight Riders crossed the 100-run mark.
Shadley van Schalkwyk (12) lost his wicket in the following over. Rilee Rossouw was playing a masterful knock and scored a resounding half-century as the game was headed for a nail-biting finish. Adam Zampa (12) lost his wicket in the 17th over. The LA Knight Riders crossed the 150-run mark in the 18th over as Rossouw looked to guide his team to victory. Going into the last over the Knight Riders needed two runs to win as Rossouw took strike. A six off the first ball of the last over saw the LA Knight Riders clinch a stunning victory thanks to Rilee Rossouw who remained not out on 78 runs off 38 balls, consisting of three fours and seven sixes.
Cameron Gannon picked up three wickets for the Seattle Orcas, while Andrew Tye picked up two wickets. Wayne Parnell, Harmeet Singh, and Imad Wasim picked up one wicket each.
Rilee won the ‘Player of the Match’ for his knock.
Brief Scores: LA Knight Riders 175/8 (Rilee Rossouw 78*, Andre Russell 37, Cameron Gannon 3/13) beat the Seattle Orcas 170/6 (Shehan Jayasuriya 60*, Nauman Anwar 32, Adam Zampa 2/26) by 2 wickets. (ANI)
