MI New York 132 for 8 beat Seattle Orcas 127 for 9 by five runs
Romario Shepherd’s three-wicket spell and Quinton de Kock’s composed half-century helped MI New York defend a modest total of 132 and defeat Seattle Orcas by five runs in a low-scoring MLC 2026 contest in Pomona.
Marcus Stoinis delivered an excellent all-round performance for Seattle, taking 3 for 14 before scoring 36 from 31 balls. However, his efforts were not enough to carry the Orcas over the line.
The victory lifted MI New York into second place on the table, while Seattle slipped to third.
Another Difficult Day For Batters In Pomona
Pomona produced another challenging surface for batting. After Wednesday’s match yielded 228 runs and 14 wickets across 37.1 overs, MI New York and Seattle combined for only 259 runs while losing 17 wickets.
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The latest result also tightened the competition in the standings. Five of the six teams now have six points, with net run rate separating them. Los Angeles Knight Riders remain the only exception, sitting at the bottom with four points.
De Kock Holds MI New York Innings Together
Seattle captain Stoinis won the toss and asked MI New York to bat first.
De Kock carried most of the responsibility for the innings, scoring 61 from 46 deliveries with six fours and two sixes. He shared a 47-run second-wicket partnership with Nicholas Pooran from 37 balls before adding 35 from 30 deliveries with Tajinder Singh for the third wicket.
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The scoring rates during those stands reflected the difficulty of the conditions, but the partnerships prevented MI New York from suffering a complete collapse.
De Kock’s ability to occupy the crease and find occasional boundaries ultimately proved decisive.
Stoinis Leads Seattle Bowling Effort
Seattle’s bowlers maintained regular pressure and continued to take wickets around de Kock. Stoinis was the most effective, finishing with outstanding figures of 3 for 14.
Jasdeep Singh and Ottneil Baartman supported him with two wickets each as MI New York were restricted to 132 for 8.
Although the total appeared below par, de Kock’s innings and the two important partnerships gave MI New York enough runs to defend.
Shepherd Strikes As Seattle Lose Early Wickets
Seattle’s chase began poorly, with the Orcas slipping to 31 for 3 midway through the seventh over. Shepherd caused most of the early damage and later received the Player of the Match award for his spell of 3 for 16. He removed Tim Seifert, Shehan Jayasuriya and Shimron Hetmyer, preventing Seattle from establishing a stable platform.
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Several Orcas partnerships reached double figures, but none of the first nine stands went beyond 19 runs.
The regular wickets ensured the required rate continued to climb.
Stoinis Keeps Orcas In The Contest
Coming in at No. 6, Stoinis provided the main resistance. He scored 36 from 31 balls and attempted to rebuild the chase while wickets continued to fall at the other end.
Seattle finally produced a significant partnership when Stoinis and Jasdeep added 30 for the tenth wicket. Both batters contributed 15 from five balls during the late surge, giving the Orcas hope of completing an unlikely victory.
However, the equation remained difficult heading into the final over.
Pollard Removes Stoinis To Seal Victory
Seattle’s chances effectively ended when Stoinis was dismissed from the second ball of the final over.
Kieron Pollard claimed the crucial wicket, leaving the lower order unable to complete the chase.
The Orcas finished on 127 for 9, five runs short of the target.
MI New York’s victory was built around de Kock’s patient half-century and Shepherd’s decisive spell, while Seattle were left to reflect on another strong individual performance from Stoinis that failed to produce a win.
