MLC Final preview: Domestics shine for Unicorns and Freedom

Emerging Cricket takes a look at the domestic contributors for MLC finalists San Francisco Unicorns and Washington Freedom ahead of Sunday’s MLC Final. The Bart King award will likely come down to SF’s Hassan Khan and Washington’s Saurabh Netravalkar. It’s all up for grabs on Sunday in Grand Prairie. 

Washington Freedom and San Francisco Unicorns made waves in the lead up to the 2024 Major League Cricket season with big name overseas signings. For the Freedom, it was the addition of Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Travis Head. For the Unicorns, it was Pat Cummins and young phenom Jake Fraser-McGurk. But an injection of Australian cricket royalty isn’t enough on its own to carry a team to the league final, no matter how potent the dose. 

With the requirement of five domestics in every playing eleven, teams need to find the right mix to supplement their well known international stars to go deep in a longer tournament than the inaugural edition. And to those who follow American domestic cricket closely, it should come as no surprise that San Francisco and Washington are meeting in the final. 

Sunday’s final might also determine more than just the 2024 MLC Champions. The favorites for the Bart King Domestic Player of the Tournament Award are Washington’s Saurabh Netravalkar and San Francisco’s Hassan Khan. In 2023, the award went to Seattle Orcas bowler Cameron Gannon, a consolation prize for falling to MI New York in the championship game. This year the prize will likely go to whomever makes a bigger mark in Sunday’s final.  

Domestic Bowlers set the table for Washington’s overseas batting power

Washington’s Saurabh Netravalkar, the left handed Oracle developer who stole hearts and inspired memes during the T20 World Cup, is the current league leader in wickets with 14. This in spite of missing two games to attend the birth of his first child. Tack that on to his ten wickets from six games in 2023, including the tournament’s best ever figures of six wickets for nine runs, and Washington have perhaps the most valuable domestic player across the league’s first two seasons. 

Along with Netravalkar, Washington returned three other regular domestic starters from 2023 in Obus Pienaar, Mukhtar Ahmed and Andries Gous, fresh from impressing at the World Cup with Saurabh.

With the bat, the Freedom have benefited heavily from the good form of their overseas stars. Travis Head currently sits at second in the league with 327 runs for the season, at an average of 54.50 and strike rate of 173.93 and five half centuries in only eight games. Head also tops the leaderboards for both fours (43) and sixes (23). Captain Steve Smith sits only two places behind Head in the league run rankings with 248 at an average of 49.60 and a strike rate of 142.52 and two fifties.

Washington’s batting has been so reliable, in fact, that they’ve only had eight different batters take strike this season, and only four with more than four innings. Eight half centuries from overseas batters have surely limited chances for middle order domestic batters like Pienaar, Mukhtar Ahmed and Lahiru Milantha.

From the domestic batters, Andries Gous has enjoyed consistent chances in the top order, batting six times out of seven games played, also missing a game for the birth of a child. While Gous displayed the ability to change gears in the World Cup, he’s played more of a supporting role with the Freedom this season, often conceding strike to a hot partner while staying alive in the middle for an average of 44 and strike rate of 115.78, not out three times.

Washington domestic batters do what’s needed

In all, Washington domestics faced 211 balls (29.84% of the team’s total) and scored 253 of the team’s 1029 batted runs (24.59%). The low strike rate can be attributed to the support role of Gous at the top, and to a match saving 63 run partnership between Pienaar and Milantha against Seattle that began after the first ball of the tenth over with Washington at 64 runs for five wickets chasing 124, ending triumphantly after the second ball of the 19th over. In short, Washington domestic batters have gotten the job done when needed, reflected in their collective batting average of 63.25. 

Those sizing up the Freedom roster could see that the team would lean heavily on domestic bowling. Netravalkar, Justin Dill and Akhilesh Bodugum were retained, while Ian Holland, Amilla Aponso and U23 Yasir Mohammad were acquired in the 2024 domestic draft. The variety and depth was obvious and high volume was a certainty, but the question would be what combination of fast and spin bowling would Washington utilize?

Five different domestics have bowled for Washington, accounting for 47.5% of the team’s volume, led by Netravalkar’s 22.2 overs. As a team, Washington’s bowling economy is a glorious 7.746, and they take a wicket every 19.26 runs. Domestics have taken 35 out of the team’s 58 wickets (60.34%) at an average of only 15.37, while going only slightly more expensive (7.864 economy) than their overseas teammates (7.649 economy). 

Next man up: Depth matters

Jessy Singh, released by New York following a 2023 season in which he bowled in just one game, found himself without a team after March’s 2024 MLC domestic draft. Just a few months later, Jessy appeared in five games for USA in the T20 World Cup. Though he claimed the wicket of Babar Azam in USA’s famous upset victory over Pakistan, the remainder of the tournament came with mixed performances. The supplemental draft came and went with Jessy again unselected.

Jessy kept in game condition by bowling in the nets for MI New York until Washington added him to the roster in Netravalkar’s absence. He was put straight into the eleven and rewarded the Freedom with two MVP efforts in two games, giving the team three such performances from domestics this season.

“None of these guys have seen me in person, it speaks highly about them. They backed me to be in the eleven today, which I wasn’t expecting,” Jessy said in a Washington Freedom social media video  following his Freedom debut. “It never felt like it’s my first game with the franchise, just coming in.”

Balance is key for San Francisco

For San Francisco, domestic balance has been found throughout both the batting order and bowling attack. Quite literally.

Hassan Khan, Brody Couch, Liam PLunkett, Carmi Le Roux, Juanoy Drysdale, Tajinder Singh and captain Corey Anderson have combined for 72 of the Unicorns 143.5 overs this season. Their domestic corps has taken 28 of 38 wickets and outperforms overseas bowlers in economy, 8.319 to 8.812, averaging only 21.39 runs per wicket compared to a whopping 63.30 from overseas bowlers. 

While Hassan Khan has been the clear star, taking 9 wickets at an economy of 6.33 in 18 overs and scoring 191 runs at a strike rate of 140.44 and average of 47.75, Corey Anderson has provided the Unicorns with yet another domestic all round performer. While he’s done a bit less with the bat than you’d expect (111 runs at 127.58 SR and 27.75 average), Corey has utilized his left arm to fill gaps in the overs to the tune of 8.1 overs at 8.69 with four wickets. Corey also took one of the best catches you’ll ever see against TSK on Friday night.

But it’s Corey’s captaincy and familiarity with the domestic players that really makes him stand out. Juanoy Drysdale attributed his early comfort coming into the team in part to Corey’s “calm, cool and collected personality.”

Depth matters, part two

In just three games, Drysdale has given San Francisco their very own Jessy Singh.

When Liam Plunkett was ruled out with an injury after playing in four games, the Unicorns had a roster spot to fill. Drysdale had been named as a reserve for USA Cricket during the World Cup, but never got called up to appear in a game. Like Jessy, Juanoy was passed up in the MLC domestic draft and again in the supplemental draft. 

Honing his craft with The Philadelphians of Minor League Cricket, Drysdale had another familiar face to ease him into the squad. “Playing with Liam Plunkett as a coach and mentor in the minor league has been incredibly beneficial,” Drysdale told Emerging Cricket. “I’ve learned a lot from him, especially about being a Pro Athlete. His guidance has played a crucial role in preparing me for the MLC. Happy to be here!”

And after Friday’s win to advance to the MLC Final, the Unicorns must be happy to have him. With San Francisco defending 200 runs against the potent Texas Super Kings in front of a big Super Kings home crowd, Juanoy struck in the 8th over to get Aaron Hardle while the home team was cruising at 84 for the loss of just one. In his very next over, the tenth of the Super Kings innings, Juanoy struck again, claiming Marcus Stoinis for just one run. 

Brody Couch and Carmi le Roux have also expressed great talent, combining for eight wickets in eight innings between them, while Plunkett took five wickets before bowing out of the tournament. These performances from domestic fast bowlers were crucial considering the underwhelming output from Pat Cummings so far, who has struck only twice in 19 overs.

Domestic batting: MLC’s true unicorn

But unlike the Freedom, the Unicorns have had to rely regularly on their domestic batters to get to this point. Particularly in the middle order. Facing 358 (42.27%) of 847 deliveries this season, and striking at 129.60, San Francisco’s domestic batters have pulled their weight.

Along with Khan and Anderson, 21 year old Bay Area resident Sanjay Krishnamurthi has been a major bright spot for the team. After appearing in zero games in 2023, the Unicorns retained Sanjay as their U23 and spoke highly of his talent and potential. Unicorns leadership have put their money where their mouth is in 2024, playing Sanjay in all eight games. The young gun’s performance on Monday Night against this Freedom squad was the best from a domestic batter this season.

With San Francisco chasing 174 in a game shortened to 14 overs by rain, star batter Finn Allen got out on the very first ball. Sanjay and Jake Fraser-McGurk would team up for 45 runs before the young Aussie edged Andrew Tye straight back to Gous in the fifth over. Sanjay tacked on another 77 with Josh Inglis (45 from 17) in a hurry and everything was looking sparkly for the Unicorns until Tye struck again, taking both Inglis and Sherfane Rutherford in the 10th over. 

Hassan Khan (32 from 11)  would help Sanjay take it home with two balls to spare, and the Unicorns would hand the Freedom their first loss of the season. Sanjay’s brave innings, highlighted by a memorable one handed six over third man against Netravalkar, would end with the Unicorns over the line, not out after scoring 79 from 42 with a half dozen sixes.

Friday’s Qualifier was a rematch, and Washington had their revenge, holding San Francisco to just 145 runs and chasing it down with 27 balls in hand. Sunday’s final will be the tiebreaker for the season, and it will likely determine the Bart King award winner.

These are two teams with so much in common and so much to prove. Two teams not affiliated with IPL franchises. Two teams that bat a domestic at number three. Two teams that have featured domestic fast bowling replacements who have had big moments in big wins. Two teams that have awarded game MVP to domestics three times each. Two teams that have had to build their brand from scratch. Considering the nature of the contests so far between these two teams, we might have MLC’s first truly organic rivalry.

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