LAKR vs WF Ball by Ball Commentary

ONE PLUS OUT! LAHIRU MILANTHA IS RUN OUT! MAIDEN MLC TITLE FOR LAKR! LAKR WIN BY 1 RUN. Shadley bowls in a perfect yorker, on middle and off, Lahiru Milantha tucks this to the mid on region and just starts running, probably thinking about two with the fielder set in the deep. Shadley van Schalkwyk gives it a chase, runs for his life, puts in a slide, picks it up and throws this to the keeper's end. Jahmar Hamilton gathers this in front of the stumps and breaks them. The leg umpire did not feel the need to send this upstairs and gave it OUT on the field itself.

Slower one, on a length, around middle and leg, Lockie Ferguson hits this past Shadley van Schalkwyk down to long on for a single.

FOUR! Lockie hits four on the hat-trick delivery. Just 4 more needed now for WF to win. Shadley van Schalkwyk bowls this on a good length, around off, Lockie Ferguson drives this through the cover-point region and the ball races to the fence for four runs.

OUT! CAUGHT! This game has shifted upside down in favor of LAKR yet again. Shadley bowls this on a good length, taking it way across the batter. Ian Holland stays leg side and has a swing at it. Hits this decent enough but towards the right of Jason Holder at long on. Holder runs in from the fence and holds onto a key catch that removes Ian Holland and keeps it as a dot.

OUT! TIMBER! Crazy scenes in Oakland as Shadley van Schalkwyk uproots the middle pole of Obus Pienaar. Shadely nails the perfect yorker, on middle and leg from around the stumps. Obus Pienaar shuffles across a long way, looking to flick this over backward square leg but misses out completely and the ball goes on and uproots the middle pole. Obus departs for 53 off 24.

SIX! FIFTY OF THE HIGHEST ORDER FROM OBUS PIENAAR! This could well be a title-clinching half-century from Obus Pienaar. Pitched-up delivery, around off, Obus Pienaar strides to the pitch of the ball, gets underneath it and lofts this over deep cover for a massive six. Still work to do for Obus as WF need 8 more to win in 5 balls.

Slower one, short and around off, Obus Pienaar fends this through square leg for a single. 14 runs needed in 6 balls.

Good length, wide of off, Obus Pienaar shuffles across the stumps and looks to ramp this over short fine leg but misses out.

FOUR! Ali Khan bowls a low full toss, on the pads. Obus Pienaar stands his ground, leans inside the line of the ball a shade and flicks this to the right of the deep mid-wicket fielder for a boundary.

Ali comes over the stumps, bowls a slower one, back of a length, around off. Obus Pienaar swings and misses.

SIX! Obus is clearing the fence at will and even with the mishits now. Full and wide of off, Obus Pienaar opens the face of his bat and looks to slice this over backward point. Gets an outside edge that flies over deep third for a biggie.

FOUR! Pressure shifted on Ali as Obus finds the fence on the first delivery. Back of a length, around middle and off, Obus Pienaar lofts this over the mid off fielder and gets a boundary to his name.

On a length, around off, Obus Pienaar drills this down to long off for a single.

WIDE! Shadley van Schalkwyk bowls this a bit too wide outside off. Obus Pienaar fails to reach it. Wided.

Shadley bowls this on a good length, taking it across the batter. Shadley van Schalkwyk shuffles across and looks to flick this up and over square leg but misses.

SIX! Two-in-two for Obus Pienaar and the pressure shifts on LAKR and Shadley van Schalkwyk. The bowler misses while looking for a yorker again, bowls this on a length, wide of off, Obus Pienaar this time stays deep inside the crease and lofts this over the long off fielder for a biggie.

SIX! Deep into the crowd for a massive six. Shadley misses his mark by an inch and that's all Obus needed to dispatch this over the fence. Full and wide of off, Obus Pienaar shuffles across the stumps and whips this over the deep square leg region for six runs.

Shadley nails the yorker on off, Obus Pienaar couldn't do anything else but just jam this out towards sweeper cover. He denies the run.

On a length, around off, Lahiru Milantha chips this over the covers region for a single.

Full and on the pads, Lahiru Milantha flicks this through mid-wicket for a single.

Back of a length, on middle and leg, Obus Pienaar tucks this away for one more.

Full and on the pads, Obus Pienaar milks this through the mid-wicket region for a couple more. The umpire does have a check on the first run at the striker's end to see if Lahiru Milantha had got something behind the crease before coming back for the second. Replay shows Lahiru planted his foot over the line and then turned back for the second.

Yorker, on off, Obus Pienaar pumps this back to the bowler.

Good length, wide of off, Obus Pienaar gets it edged off the outside edge towards the deep third region for a couple.

FOUR! That's the start Washington Freedom needed to this over. Dre Russ bowls this from around the thumps and lands it on a length, wide of off. Obus Pienaar gets underneath the ball and lofts this over the covers region for a boundary.

On a length, around off, Obus Pienaar drives this to the sweeper cover fielder for a single.

Back of a length, on the pads, Lahiru Milantha flick this through square leg for one.

OUT! CAUGHT! Is this the game for LAKR? Holder bowls this full and wide of off, Andries Gous looks to get funky as he shuffles across and looks to ramp this over the keeper but gets it toe-poked straight into the hands of Andre Russell at the point region for a regulation catch. Gous was the one who could have taken this game away from LAKR.

Holder goes full and wide outside off. Andries Gous swings and misses out.

Low full toss, around off, Obus Pienaar drives this to the sweeper cover region for a single.

SIX! Holder bowls this full and wide of off, Obus Pienaar gets right underneath the ball and lofts this over the deep cover region for a massive six.

Slower one, full and around off, Obus Pienaar moves across to scoop it but toe-ends it onto his body and the ball goes nowhere. One more taken.

Nails the yorker, on middle, Obus Pienaar jams it out down the pitch. Andre Russell makes an excellent stop on his follow-through.

Misses out! A full toss, on middle and leg, Andries Gous slogs across the line a bit too hard and gets an inside edge onto his pads. It rolls towards point and the batters get one. Gous is not happy with himself.

Pitched up and outside off, Obus Pienaar tries to smack it away but gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball pops out to the off side. They cross. 100 up for Washington Freedom!

Full again and on off, Andries Gous drills it to long off for a single.

Fuller and around off, Andries Gous drives it away wide of sweeper cover for a brace.

OUT! TAKEN IN THE DEEP! Jason Holder goes bang bang in the over. He bowls the off-cutter, dug into the surface, around off. Ben Dwarshuis backs away to pull it away but the ball gets big on him. It catches the top edge and flies towards deep mid-wicket, where Matthew Tromp comes forward a bit and pouches it safely.  Washington Freedom are 97/5, chasing 165 runs.

Fuller and on off, Andries Gous drills it to long off for one.

On a legnth and on off, Ben Dwarshuis steers it through point for another run.

OUT! TAKEN! Jason Holder strikes big on his return to the attack. He bowls a low full toss, outside off. Nikhil Chaudhary tries to go after it and reaches out to smack it away. Gets it from the toe-end of the bat and the ball only goes as far as extra cover, where Unmukt Chand (Sub) takes a nice reverse cup catch. Holder gets his 400th T20 wicket and is absolutely pumped up here. End of the 65-run stand.

Back of a length and outside off again, Andries Gous cuts it through backward point for a run.

Full and outside off, Nikhil Chaudhary uses his feet and forces it towards sweeper cover for a single.

Tossed up, full and on middle, turns in, Nikhil Chaudhary clips it towards square leg for one. Sunil Narine finishes a magnificent spell of bowling with figures of 4-0-13-3.

Pushed through quicker, full and on off, turns in, Nikhil Chaudhary blocks it out.

Dragged back, on middle, Andries Gous punches it down to long on for another run.

Slows it up, full and on leg, Nikhil Chaudhary tucks it towards mid-wicket for a run.

Flatter, full and on middle and off, Nikhil Chaudhary gets down on one knee and paddles it to short fine.

Floated, short and on leg, Andries Gous nudges it through mid-wicket for a single.

Fuller and outside off, Andries Gous drives it away through cover-point for one.

FOUR! Gets it away! Hits the deck hard, around off. Andries Gous opens the bat face to guide it away but gets an outside edge past short third for a boundary.

Good effort in the deep! Hard length and around off, Andries Gous swats it wide of long off. Jason Holder puts in a dive way to early but uses his reach to stop the ball. Two taken.

Pitched up and on off, Nikhil Chaudhary drills it towards point for a run.

Nails the yorker, outside off, angling away, Nikhil Chaudhary fails to dig it out.

FIVE WIDES! Bonus runs! Shadley van Schalkwyk serves a low full toss, but down the leg side. Nikhil Chaudhary fails to glance it away, Jahmar Hamilton has no chance of stopping that as he is standing up to the stumps and the ball races to the fence behind for a boundary. That also brings up the 50-run stand between these two batters.

Back of a length and outside off, takes pace off, Andries Gous reaches out and slaps it to extra cover for a single.

Right in the blockhole, on off, Andries Gous jams it out to long off for one more.

Sticks to the fuller length, outside off, Nikhil Chaudhary drives it away to extra cover for a run.

FOUR! Streaky! Fuller delivery, outside off, angling away. Nikhil Chaudhary throws his hands at it but gets a thick outside edge that flies to the deep third fence for a boundary.

WIDE! Pitched up but just a bit too outside off this time, Nikhil Chaudhary leaves it alone. Wided.

Low full toss, outside off, Andries Gous bunts it to long off for a run.

Full again and outside off, Nikhil Chaudhary drills it to sweeper cover for a single.

Fuller and around off, angling away, Nikhil Chaudhary drives it to mid off.

On a length, around off, Nikhil Chaudhary plays the square drive for a single.

Wide and full, around off, Andries Gous drives this to sweeper cover for one.

SIX! High and handsome for a massive biggie. Pitched-up delivery, around middle and off, Andries Gous strides to the pitch of the ball and lofts this over the deep cover region for a massive biggie.

On a length, going across the batter. Andries Gous once again doesn't move his feet much and swings at it but misses out.

Good length, around off, Andries Gous swings and misses.

Full and wide outside off, Nikhil Chaudhary drives this through covers for a single.

Back of a length, around off, Nikhil Chaudhary dabs this to short third for one.

Yorker, on middle and off, Nikhil Chaudhary tucks this to mid-wicket.

Full and on off, Andries Gous tucks this away into the gap on the leg side for a run.

SIX! Short-pitched delivery, on middle and leg, Andries Gous stays inside the line of the ball and hooks this over the fine leg fence for a massive six.

Hard length, wide outside off, Andries Gous stands and swats at it but misses out.

Back of a length, on off, Andries Gous punches this to mid off.

Slower one, short and wide outside off, Andries Gous goes onto his back foot and helps this through point for a run.

Yorker, around off, Andries Gous keeps it out.

Good length, wide of off, Andries Gous swings and misses.

FOUR! Gous smashes this away for a boundary. On a length, around middle and off, Andries Gous slogs this over the mid-wicket region and the ball has raced to the fence for four runs.

On a length, around off, Nikhil Chaudhary cuts this for a single.

FOUR! Ali Khan errs in line and bowls this on the pads of Nikhil Chaudhary. The batter flicks this in the gap to the left of the deep backward square leg fielder for a boundary.

Dre Russ hits the good length, around off. Andries Gous punches this right back at the bowler.

On a length, around off, Andries Gous punches this to mid off.

Good length, around off, Nikhil Chaudhary plays this late and guides this to the third man region for a run.

Hard length, around off, Nikhil Chaudhary dabs this around his off pole and looks to steal a run but Jahmar Hamilton is quickly onto the ball.

Full and wide of off, Andries Gous drives this to sweeper cover for a single.

Hard length, around off, Nikhil Chaudhary cuts this wide of point. Fabian Allen dives to his right to make a good stop. Both batters are stranded in the middle, but by the time Allen gets up and throws at the bowler's end, Nikhil makes his ground.

Back of a length, on middle and off, Andries Gous tucks this to mid-wicket. Washington Freedom are 35/3 at the end of the Powerplay.

Ali bowls at 143 kph, on a good length, around off. Andries Gous punches this to mid off.

Good length, on the pads, Nikhil Chaudhary tucks this to the left of Colin Munro at the deep backward square leg region for a single.

FOUR! Gently placed in the gap for four. Hard length, wide of off, Nikhil Chaudhary plays this late, guides this through the gap between short third and backward point for four runs.

On a length, around the pads, Andries Gous flicks this to the fine leg region for a single.

Good length, on middle and off, Andries Gous pushes this back to the bowler.

Almost another! Slows it up, full and on middle, turns in sharply. Nikhil Chaudhary gets forward to defend but gets an inside edge onto his pads. The ball lobs up in the air but it drops well over the short leg fielder.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Number 3 for Sunil Narine and the biggest of them all in the final. He pushes this one through quicker, short and on middle, turns in again. Steve Smith tries to make room and cut it but this is too close to his body. The ball goes through and rattles the stumps behind. Smith knows that he made a mistake here as the shot was not on. Narine punches the air in celebration. You don't see him showing emotions, but he knows what's at stake here.

WIDE! Fires this one full but down the leg side, Steve Smith leaves it alone. Wided.

Quicker, short and on middle, Steve Smith backs away and stabs it out to short cover.

Drops it short and on middle, Andries Gous punches it down to long on for a single.

OUT! IN THE AIR...GONE! Sunil Narine strikes again and he is making a game out of this one. Tossed up, full and on off, turns away a bit. Rachin Ravindra gets down on one knee to sweep it away but the ball bounces a bit more to catch the top edge. It flies to the right of short fine, where Ali Khan runs to that side, keeping his eyes locked in and takes a fantastic running catch. Washington Freedom are 27/2 now.

Flatter, short and outside off, skids through, Rachin Ravindra moves back to cut it away but misses.

FOUR! Not a bad delivery, just class batting! Jason Holder bowls a yorker, just on off. Steve Smith opens the bat face late and squeezes it between point and cover-point for another boundary.

Sticks to the fuller length, on middle and leg, Rachin Ravindra knocks it to mid on for one.

Overpitched and on off, Rachin Ravindra drills it hard but finds extra cover this time.

FOUR! Lovely shot! A half-volley, just around off. Rachin Ravindra leans onto his drive with a high elbow and creams it through extra covers for a boundary.

Pitched up and down the leg again, Steve Smith fails to glance it away but it goes off his pads towards fine leg. Leg bye taken.

Back of a length and angling into the batter. Steve Smith backs away to flick it away but gets cramped for room and misses it.

WIDE! Fuller one but angling down the leg side, Steve Smith shuffles across early to scoop it away but misses. It is given as a wide but Holder is not happy with the call.

Drops it short and on off, Steve Smith pulls it to deep mid-wicket for one more.

Pushed through quicker, short and on middle, turns in sharply, Rachin Ravindra backs away and punches it to long off for one.

Tossed up, full and on middle, Steve Smith uses his feet and clips it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Flighted, full and on off, Rachin Ravindra drives it to long off for a single.

OUT! TAKEN! Sunil Narine gets Mitchell Owen for the third time this season. He bowls another off-break, flatter and shorter, on of, turns in with a bit of bounce this time. Owen stays back and tries to swat it down the ground but the ball hits him high on the bat. It loops up towards mid off, where Jason Holder takes a dolly. Washington Freedom are 12/1, chasing 165 runs.

An off-break, full and on middle, turns in sharply. Mitchell Owen gets stuck in his crease and misses his flick, getting hit on the pads.

Short of a length and on off, Steve Smith stays back and keeps it out to the off side.

Pulls his length back a bit, on middle, Steve Smith comes down the track and stabs it out towards mid off.

Pitched up and on middle, takes pace off, Mitchell Owen looks to slog it across the but gets an inside edge towards short fine. He calls for the run and Smith responds well, with Ali Khan missing his shy at the batter's end.

SIX! Goes all the way! Jason Holder sees the batter advance and bangs this into the pitch, on middle. Mitchell Owen still manages to get on top of the bounce and whacks it over the deep mid-wicket fence for the first biggie of the chase. That will settle his nerves.

Excellent fielding! Full again and around off, Steve Smith takes a couple of steps out and drills it wide of mid off. Shadley van Schalkwyk puts in a full-length dive to his left to make a superb stop. A single taken.

Jason Holder begins with a fuller one, on off, Steve Smith drives it to mid off.

Drags his length back, on middle, Mitchell Owen swipes it wide of deep square leg. Matthew Tromp runs to his right and dives to make the stop, Two taken.

Slows it up, full and on middle, Mitchell Owen blocks it out on the pitch.

Flighted, full and on middle, Steve Smith drives it down to long on and takes the single without any hesitation.

A bit short and on middle, Steve Smith moves back and tucks it to short mid-wicket.

Flighted, full and around leg, turns in, Mitchell Owen goes down to sweep it away but misses as the ball goes off his pads to the right of short mid-wicket. A quick leg bye taken.

Massive appeal for caught behind, and the umpire raises his finger after taking his time. However, Mitchell Owen takes the review right away and indicates that it hit his thigh and not the bat. Sunil Narine starts with a floater, full and on off, turns away a shy bit. Owen looks to defend but the ball spins away and looks like he misses it, before Jahmar Hamilton grabs it behind the stumps. UltraEdge shows a flatline and the replay confirms that it hit the back pad. The on-field call is changed to Not Out.