SF vs Los Angeles, 8th Match at Dallas, MLC, Jul 18 2023 - Ball by Ball Commentary

11:30pm Right. That will be that from us for this game. The MLC takes a day's break as the caravan moves to Morrisville. On Friday, though, the teams will be back at it. LAKR, having lost three, will take on Washington Freedom, who are fresh off a win over the Texas Super Kings. Do join us for that game too. Until next time, this is me (Shashwat) signing off on behalf of Binoy George and everyone else at ESPNcricinfo. Goodbye and take care!

Aaron Finch, San Francisco Unicorns captain: It is a great win. The way we started with the bat and everyone contributed really well. It was tough to defend to the short side but everyone did a good job. When you have guys who bat at the top like Wade and Finn, they are high-risk, high-reward players. The good thing (in our wins) is that when players have gotten in, they have made it big. (On how they keep the momentum going) Keep swinging hard, keep executing. (On bowling plans) Control what you can do (with the ball). If someone is having a day out with the bat, it is tough to stop anyway.

Sunil Narine, Los Angeles Knight Riders captain: (What is going wrong) We started well with the ball but then we let it slipped away. Chasing 200 on this wicket, we needed a good start and we got it. Then, in the middle overs, we let it slip. Maybe 170-180 was par and it would have given us a better chance to chase. The wickets in the middle strangled us a little. (On trying to reset before the next leg) You still have to try to reset. You have to come up with strategies that will hopefully work. It is a good bunch of guys and it is about getting it right. When that happens, you will see the quality in our team.

Matthew Wade, Player of the Match: (On how much did he enjoy batting and if he mishit any shots) I mishit a few, don't worry (smiles). It was a good fun. Nice batting with a few new faces. (On the pitch) It was really good with the new ball. Maybe towards the back end, if you bowled cutters, it was hard work. The pitches here have been really good and been really good to come over here and see good cricket wickets. (Expectations) Obviously you want to get going. But we have talked about adapting to the conditions. We all are pretty relaxed. Anderson has been huge for us down the order. All about getting some momentum and camaraderie in the batting line-up.

Corey Anderson: (On his batting plans) I had a short boundary on one side and that makes it easier to sort out your plans. Wade and Stoinis took the bowlers down and kept us well ahead in the game. I was just trying to provide the icing on the top. We have numerous guys who can bowl in this time. When you have a small boundary, with the line-up they have, it is about getting some overs out of the way. So that was the theory, to get ahead of the game a little. (The advantage of having Haris Rauf in the team) Massive. You know he is going to be a wicket-taker. That is a huge advantage and we can manipulate our overs (with Rauf around).

11:15pm The Knight Riders fall short by 21 runs but to be honest, the result never really seemed in doubt. The only time they threatened to hunt down this score was when Roy came out all guns blazing in the powerplay. LAKR then shot themselves in the foot with their decision-making. Even at the time, sending Nitish at No.3 seemed a questionable call and it was vindicated over the next few overs, with him scratching his way to 31 off 23. Rossouw never got going after his demotion either and that piled up too much pressure on Narine and Russell. Both of them found the fence with regularity but were always playing catch-up.

As for the Unicorns, they put down a whole host of chances, and they were perhaps too accommodative inside the powerplay. Shadab, though, fought back from an expensive first over to bag two wickets. Rauf, Bishnoi and Anderson picked up a wicket apiece as the Unicorns coasted past the finish line.

Four legal deliveries and the Unicorns will be home...

37 needed off 6 now. Stoinis to bowl it. Six sixes and we go into a Super Over...

Abhay: "A Knight Rider scored 30 off the last over a few months ago. Surely Russell can take some inspiration right now!" -- For that to culminate in a win, they need at least 20 in this over, which will be bowled by Rauf

Russell will be hitting into the wind if he goes leg side

21 runs came off that over and that was just about par for the course. Tells you how steep this run-chase has become for LAKR. Stoinis to continue

17 off the over already