10:57pm That will be all from us for this game. We hope you enjoyed our coverage and we will be back with more MLC action tomorrow. Until then, this is goodbye from Vairavan and myself (Shashwat). Take care, folks!
Mitchell Owen, Player of the Match: (On his approach) Pretty simple. Pretty similar to every game - trying to get us off to a good start and take the pressure off the middle order. Ideally wanted to bat through but sometimes, it does not happen. It was a nice wicket, a very nice wicket. Both powerplays were even. A little two-paced when you took pace off, but very flat (in general). No discussion at half-way - just the coaching staff backing me to do what I have been doing. (On his bowling) It is going alright as well. Ready at any stage and whenever the skipper wants me to bowl, I am ready to go. We unfortunately had a couple of bowling injuries, just happy to be another set of hands in the field and with the ball.
Glenn Maxwell, Washington Freedom captain: (On if he is happy with the result and the performance) Certainly am. Got closer than we would have liked. Chapman did a great job of seeing us home. (On what is causing the slow-down in the back half) Think is is about not really being sure how much is a winning total, almost leaving a little too much to do at the back end. Felt we were in a great position, and when I got out…when you get a couple of dot balls to a new batter, it builds pressure and that does funny things. (On the approach to keep going) Trying to take off as much pressure off the guys coming in. I was lucky enough to get a few out of the middle early, allowed us to get us a buffer. Would have been nice to face six more balls and ice it. (On the three consecutive wins) To come back and play as well as we have (after Finn Allen played amazingly in the opener), three very different games and for the batting group to stand up…few guys would have been ruing their opportunity to not hit the winning runs but good opportunity for Chapman (to show what he can do).
Nicholas Pooran, MI New York captain: (On the score) It was a good score. They came out aggressive in the powerplay. They played well and we fought really hard as a team. They bowled fuller on one side, shorter on the other side. I could have been a bit braver as well, got out at the wrong time. 10-15 runs there would have been really important for us. As a group, we know we have not batted well, and have not bowled well in parts of the game. As a team, it is important to not lose by big margins as well. Everything happens for a reason. We are still in the fight and I have no doubt that the results will go in our favour (eventually).
10:41pm Well, that turned out to be a lot closer than it once seemed. When Owen was teeing off, it felt Washington would get to this target with room to spare. But then he departed, and the rest could not replicate his heroics. Edwards and Chapman, though, played useful hands, not to mention Maxwell's brisk but very short cameo, and all of those contributions, in conjunction, ensured that the target, eventually, was chased down.
MINY will be happy with how much they stretched this game out. Pooran gambled on bowling out his premier bowlers in trying to amp up the pressure and it almost paid off. But in the end, the lack of runs on the board cost them, and that is something they will have to rectify moving forward.
Holland takes his place at the non-striker's end. Chapman on strike for the start of the 20th, which will be bowled by Pollard. Can the great man pull something special out of his hat? Around the wicket
END OF OVER:19 | 14 Runs 1 Wkt | WSF: 186/8 (3 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 9.78, RRR: 3.00)
- Mark Chapman42 (30b)
- Rushil Ugarkar2-0-35-1
- Trent Boult4-0-38-2
MR Adair c Bracewell b Ugarkar 1 (6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 16.66
3 off 7. This is pretty much a free hit for Adair
7 off 9. Washington's game to lose again
17 off 12. Chapman still at the crease, but Washington are well and truly feeling the pinch now. Ugarkar to bowl the penultimate over. MINY, in trying to make a match out of this, have bowled out almost all of their front-line bowlers. Around the wicket to Chapman
END OF OVER:18 | 1 Run 1 Wkt | WSF: 172/7 (17 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 9.55, RRR: 8.50)
- Mark Adair0 (4b)
- Mark Chapman32 (26b)
- Trent Boult4-0-38-2
- Naveen-ul-Haq4-0-28-2
17 off 14 now. Not out of control, but a lot tougher than it was when this over began
Adair walks in. He is a handy batter
Mukhtar Ahmed lbw b Boult 1 (4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 25
Boult to bowl out. 18 needed off 18
END OF OVER:17 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | WSF: 171/6 (18 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 10.05, RRR: 6.00)
- Mark Chapman31 (25b)
- Mukhtar Ahmed1 (3b)
- Naveen-ul-Haq4-0-28-2
- Michael Bracewell4-0-36-0
Mukhtar in at 8
AJ Pienaar c Pollard b Naveen-ul-Haq 6 (6b 1x4 0x6) SR: 100