Mitchell Owen's Five-Wicket Haul Leads Washington Freedom to Victory Over San Francisco Unicorns

Match Highlights: Washington Freedom vs. San Francisco Unicorns

Dallas [US] June 29: In a thrilling encounter, Mitchell Owen, despite being second on the run-scorers list behind Finn Allen, delivered a game-changing performance with a stunning five-wicket haul. This effort led to the San Francisco Unicorns' dramatic collapse from a promising 97/2 to a final score of 157/9, marking their first defeat in the third season of the Cognizant Major League Cricket (MLC) against Washington Freedom.

Unicorns' captain Matthew Short continued his impressive form, achieving his fourth consecutive half-century at Grand Prairie. However, Owen was brought into the attack by Maxwell in the 11th over to curb the Unicorns' momentum, as reported by the MLC.

Utilizing his pace variations effectively, Owen struck early by dismissing the in-form Short, who was caught by Jack Edwards after attempting a risky shot.

This crucial wicket opened the floodgates for the Freedom, who were chasing a target of 170 that seemed modest compared to the high-scoring games at Grand Prairie.

Owen continued his impressive spell with a double-wicket over, taking out Hassan Khan and Romario Shepherd in consecutive deliveries, significantly shifting the match in Freedom's favor.

After Ian Holland dismissed the last remaining set batter, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Owen returned to claim two more wickets in another over, achieving a remarkable five-wicket haul—the third of its kind in MLC history.

Thanks to Owen's outstanding bowling, Washington Freedom secured a spot in the Playoffs, a feat that seemed unlikely at the match's outset.

Xavier Bartlett's exceptional opening spell had initially put Freedom on the back foot, as he dismissed their top three batsmen for just 13 runs by the third over. Haris Rauf added to the woes by taking the prized wicket of Glenn Maxwell, leaving Freedom struggling at 30/4 in the fifth over.

With the top order faltering, Glenn Phillips and Jack Edwards took the opportunity to stabilize the innings, forming a vital partnership that yielded 71 runs. Bartlett eventually dismissed Edwards in his final over, while Phillips scored a commendable 58 off 39 balls, supported by quick contributions from Obus Pienaar (30* off 12) and Mukhtar Ahmed (17* off 9), leading Freedom to a total of 169/6.

Mitchell Owen's remarkable bowling performance earned him the Player of the Match title.

Following this exciting match at Grand Prairie Stadium, both teams will head to Broward County Stadium in Florida, where the San Francisco Unicorns will face the Seattle Orcas on Tuesday, and Washington Freedom will compete against the Texas Super Kings on Wednesday in their eighth game.

Match Summary: Washington Freedom triumphed over San Francisco Unicorns by 12 runs.

WSF: 169/6 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 58, Jack Edwards 42, Obus Pienaar 30*; Xavier Bartlett 32/4, Romario Shepherd 28/1)

SFU: 157/9 in 20 overs (Matthew Short 67, Jahmar Hamilton 31*, Sanjay Krishnamurthi 24; Mitchell Owen 17/5, Ian Holland 23/1, Amila Aponso 23/1).