Bizarrely sudden to a low-scoring game at the Fairgrounds Cricket Stadium in Pomona, Seattle Orcas produced arguably the performance of the 2026 Major League Cricket season with a remarkable bowling effort to defend their modest total of 121 and hold off Texas Super Kings finish by nine runs. The win solidified Seattle’s playoff hopes, while Texas dropped a third straight contest and fell further down the standings.
Seattle Orcas struggled on a pitch that provided awkward bounce and assisted the seamers after electing to bat first. The batting order struggled to form partnerships and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. However, some lower-order mini-rescues aided a total of 121 for 9 from the team’s 20 overs – sufficient on such a difficult pitch to give the bowlers something to work with.
Texas Super Kings started off with some swagger, but that quickly changed as Seattle’s pace attack made the most of the conditions. Dasun Shanaka was the pick of the bowlers, snaring 4 wickets for 26 runs in a decisive spell that cut through the middle order like a knife. Ottniel Baartman also had a mammoth effect in that game, taking 3/9 to make sure Texas were never able to comfortably settle into their chase.
It was an extraordinary effort on the part of Shubham Ranjane, who single-handedly kept Texas Super Kings in the contest till the penultimate overs with his half-century (40 not out off 44) but ultimately ended up on the losing side. But, it was hardly supported by the other batters as they kept falling at regular intervals. In the other innings, Seattle kept a tight discipline with their bowling attack, and constantly maintained lines and lengths which prevented the required run rate from coming into control.
Texas were at 112 for 9 after their allotted 20 overs, nine runs more than what was required. The bowlers bowled to their plans on a pitch where every run is weighed and some below par score because of which Seattle have orchestrated an incredible victory. Cameron Gannon’s handy 20 with the bat was also important in the final wash-up, with those extra runs being the difference between the two sides. Seattle Orcas’ victory leapfrogged them into second position in the Major League Cricket 2026 table, while Texas Super Kings languished at the foot of it, after another underwhelming display.
