The Seattle Orcas dropped their fifth straight game in the 2025 Major League Cricket season, this time against an in-form San Francisco Unicorns squad that remains unbeaten. Despite flashes of brilliance, inconsistency with the bat cost Seattle a golden opportunity to notch their first win.

Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, the Seattle Orcas started brightly, but the Unicorns’ top order quickly flipped the script. Opener Matt Short went after Obed McCoy early, smashing 14 off his first over, including a towering six over deep square leg. Finn Allen kept the aggression going with a top-edged pull off Gerald Coetzee, though the South African speedster had the last laugh, dismissing Allen shortly after.

Jake Fraser-McGurk then stepped in and made an immediate impact, matching Short's intensity with a flurry of attacking strokes. The pair powered the Unicorns to 67-1 before Harmeet Singh stepped up for Seattle. He broke the stand by removing McGurk in the 8th over, then struck again two overs later to dismiss Short for a fiery 52 off 29. Singh’s double blow tilted the momentum Seattle’s way.

The team from the Pacific Northwest capitalized on that shift, taking three quick wickets to reduce San Francisco to 116-6 after 14 overs. With the game in the balance, Romario Shepherd had other plans. The West Indies all-rounder flipped the script again with a brutal late assault—his unbeaten 56 off 31, including three consecutive sixes off McCoy in the final over, lifted the Unicorns to a competitive total.

Seattle’s chase began with promise. Shayan Jahangir was on fire, blasting two sixes in the opening over and racing to 38 off just 19 balls. Alongside David Warner, he guided Seattle Orcas to 59-0 at the end of the Powerplay—setting the tone for what looked like a match-winning platform. But the wheels soon came off.

Romario Shepherd returned to haunt Seattle again, knocking over Jahangir with a smart length ball. Shortly after, Short spun his way into the game, dismissing Warner and Mayers in the same over—both batters misjudging their shots. With the pressure mounting, Seattle Orcas turned to their skipper, Heinrich Klaasen, to stabilize the innings.

Klaasen counterpunched with a big six off Haris Rauf but fell soon after while attempting another pull, this time caught by Shepherd in the deep. Shimron Hetmyer kept the fight alive with a brisk 30 off 16, including a massive 18-run burst in the 15th over off Bartlett. But his dismissal by Short effectively sealed our fate.

The lower order folded quickly, and the Seattle Orcas were bowled out for 144—falling 32 runs short.

With the win, the San Francisco Unicorns not only kept their perfect record intact but also secured a spot in the playoffs. For us, the road only gets tougher. Still searching for their first win of the season, the Seattle Orcas must regroup quickly as they prepare for a crucial clash against MI New York. With a potential fourth playoff spot still within reach, the time to turn things around is now or never.

Next Match: Seattle Orcas vs. MI New York.

Catch the Action Live:

🗓️ When: Wednesday, June 27, 2025 – 5:00 PM (PDT)

📍 Where: Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas

📺 Watch: Live on Willow TV | Local broadcast on ROOT Sports & FOX 13

- Written by Bharat Singh.