Los Angeles Knight Riders vs San Francisco Unicorns Preview & Prediction | 2024 Major League Cricket | League Stage
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After finishing rock-bottom of the inaugural season of Major League Cricket in 2023, the Los Angeles Knight Riders began this season well with a victory but now come into this one on the back of back-to-back defeats. The San Francisco Unicorns have picked up one win with one defeat in their opening two matches ahead of this clash in North Carolina.
DATE & TIME: Saturday 13th July, 2024 - USA ET – 3:00pm / USA PT – 12:00pm / West Indies – 2:00pm / UK – 8:00pm / South Africa – 9:00pm / Sunday 14th July, 2024 - Pakistan – 12:00am / India – 12:30am / Bangladesh – 1:00am / Australia – 5:00am
VENUE: Church Street Park, Morrisville, North Carolina, United States
WEATHER: 32c o 89.6 F with rain forecast at the start of the match
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: USA – Willow TV / West Indies – TBA / UK – TNT Sports / South Africa – ESPN / Pakistan – A Sports / India – TBA / Bangladesh – TBA / Australia – N/A
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: USA – Willow TV / West Indies – TBA / UK – TNT Sports app / South Africa – ESPN+ app / Pakistan – A Sports / India – TBA / Bangladesh – TBA / Australia – Amazon Prime Video
LOS ANGELES KNIGHT RIDERS FORM: THE SHODDY LAKR
The Los Angeles Knight Riders began the 2024 Major League Cricket season with an impressive defence of what seemed to be a fairly small total when the Texas Super Kings fell 12 runs short of LAKR’s 162-7. Since then, though, they could not defend 165-6 against the San Francisco Unicorns and then also suffered a nine-wicket thumping to last season’s runners’ up, the Seattle Orcas.
LAST THREE: LLWWL
SAN FRANCISCO UNICORNS FORM: BOUNCING BACK
The San Francisco Unicorns began their season with that aforementioned victory over LAKR in Dallas. Finn Allen led the way with 63 runs from 37 balls as they reached 166-4 in just 15.2 overs last week. In their second match of the tournament, they were skittled for just 127 by an experienced Texas Super Kings side before giving up the target in just 12.5 overs.
LAST THREE: LWLLW
LOS ANGELES KNIGHT RIDERS BETTING ANALYSIS
Even in victory, the Los Angeles Knight Riders simply haven’t scored enough runs. 162 shouldn’t have been enough to beat TSK and the two targets they have set since have been well below par. What did happen in their second game, though, was South African David Miller coming to the party with an unbeaten 44 at a strike rate of 200 and the thrilling middle-order bat is likely to be their top scorer if their misfiring top order get out early enough.
With the ball, they have a fair bit of variation with the likes of Ali Khan, Andre Russell, Shakib Al Hasan and Sunil Narine. However, they are heavily reliant on Aussie quick Spencer Johnson for wickets. The Unicorns go hard and should lose wickets so Johnson to take two or more poles would appear a good bet for that reason.
SAN FRANCISCO UNICORNS BETTING ANALYSIS
With a top order that consists of the aforementioned Finn Allen as well as Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matt Short and Josh Inglis; the San Francisco Unicorns have the potential to do exactly what they have shown in their opening two matches; collapse in a heap or go hard and get a big score in no time. Short is the man in the best nick at the moment so him to score 30+ at another decent strike rate would be a worthy shout.
In the bowling department, the Unicorns have the experience of former England international Liam Plunkett but beyond that they are perhaps a bit blunt for the shortest format of the game with the consistently flattering to deceive Haris Rauf and more suited to Test match bowling of Abrar Ahmed. Plunkett remains their best chance of wickets outside of the powerplay so Plunkett to be their top bowler remains the best bet for this.
LOS ANGELES KNIGHT RIDERS VS SAN FRANCISCO UNICORNS EXPERT PREDICTION
This is a confusing one to predict a winner in because of the strengths and weakness of both sides. LAKR have the edge with the ball, whilst the Unicorns are certainly the more modern day and aggressive of the two sides with the bat. That said, if the top four of San Francisco, albeit Inglis dropped to five against TSK, can fire then they can easily overwhelm any team in the competition – and LAKR’s best bet, of experience with the ball, is still relatively weak. As a result, the Unicorns will be confident of doing the double over their opposition.
LOS ANGELES KNIGHT RIDERS VS SAN FRANCISCO UNICORNS TOP TIP: SAN FRANCISCO UNICORNS TO WIN
