Mitchell Owen produced a game-defining spell to guide Washington Freedom to a thrilling 12-run victory over the previously unbeaten San Francisco Unicorns in the third season of Cognizant Major League Cricket (MLC), securing his side a place in the Playoffs.
While Owen is currently second on the tournament’s run-scorers chart, it was his bowling heroics in Bridgetown that stole the spotlight. Introduced in the 11th over after Unicorns skipper Matthew Short had notched his fourth successive half-century, Owen turned the tide by dismissing the in-form opener, triggering a dramatic collapse. From a comfortable 97/2, the Unicorns slumped to 157/9 by the end of their innings.
Owen’s pace variations rattled the middle order as he dismissed Hassan Khan and Romario Shepherd in consecutive deliveries, before returning later to claim two more scalps, completing a five-wicket haul — only the third such feat in MLC history. His figures of 5/17 dismantled the Unicorns’ chase of 170, a target that initially seemed below par given recent high-scoring matches at Grand Prairie Stadium.
The win looked unlikely during the first half of the game when Washington Freedom suffered a top-order meltdown. Xavier Bartlett’s opening burst left them reeling at 13/3, and Haris Rauf removed Glenn Maxwell to make it 30/4 by the fifth over. But a patient and calculated 71-run partnership between Glenn Phillips (58 off 39) and Jack Edwards (42) steadied the innings.
Bartlett returned to remove Edwards, but late fireworks from Obus Pienaar (30* off 12) and Mukhtar Ahmed (17* off 9) helped Freedom reach 169/6 — a total that ultimately proved just enough.
The match also confirmed Owen’s growing stature as one of the league’s most effective all-rounders, as he was rightly named Player of the Match for his match-winning bowling performance.
As the league heads into a crucial phase, the teams now shift to Florida. San Francisco Unicorns will take on the Seattle Orcas on Tuesday in Broward County Stadium, while Washington Freedom face Texas Super Kings on Wednesday in their final group-stage clash.
Match Summary
- Washington Freedom: 169/6 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 58, Jack Edwards 42, Obus Pienaar 30*; Xavier Bartlett 4/32)
- San Francisco Unicorns: 157/9 in 20 overs (Matthew Short 67, Jahmar Hamilton 31*; Mitchell Owen 5/17)
- Result: Washington Freedom won by 12 runs