Kieron Pollard gave MI New York a badly needed Major League Cricket escape in Pomona, defending the final over as Seattle Orcas fell five runs short in a low-scoring Match 17.
MI New York were held to 132 for eight at the Knight Riders Cricket Field, with Quinton de Kock’s 61 from 46 balls the innings that kept the defending champions alive. ESPNcricinfo’s scorecard recorded Seattle finishing on 127 for nine, leaving New York with a narrow but valuable win in a game that never truly opened up for either batting unit.
Pollard turns pressure into control
The decisive detail was Pollard’s final over. Seattle needed 14, then a six from the last ball to force a Super Over, but Pollard closed the chase down and finished with figures of one for 15 from two overs.
Romario Shepherd had done the heavier damage earlier, taking three for 16 as Seattle’s chase lost shape. Marcus Stoinis made 36, but the Orcas never found the boundary burst required to break New York’s squeeze.
Why it matters for the MLC table
For MI New York, this was not a statement performance with the bat. It was more useful than that: proof they can win ugly when the surface and scoreboard turn awkward.
ReadCricket recently noted how the Pomona leg is tightening the MLC playoff picture, and this result keeps New York’s campaign moving before the pressure spikes again over the weekend.
Seattle will view it as a missed chase. New York will see it as Pollard taking ownership of the one over that mattered most.
Sources: ESPNcricinfo match report; Cricbuzz live commentary; MLC Network highlights.
