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Seattle Orcas

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For the transit payment system, see ORCA card.

Seattle Orcas
Seattle Orcas Logo
LeagueMajor League Cricket
Personnel
CaptainWayne Parnell
CoachPravin Amre
OwnerSamir Bodas
Ashok Krishnamurthi
Satya Nadella
Sanjay Parthasarathy
S. Somasegar
GMR Group
Team information
CitySeattle, Washington, United States (planned)
ColoursBlack, White, Light Green, and Orange
       
Founded2023; 1 year ago (2023)
Home groundMarymoor Cricket Community Park (planned)
Capacity6,000 (planned)
Official websiteSeattle Orcas

T20 kit

The Seattle Orcas are an American professional Twenty20 cricket team that competes in Major League Cricket (MLC).[1] The team plans to be based in Seattle, Washington and was announced in 2023 as one of six inaugural franchises to play in Major League Cricket.[2] The Seattle Orcas are owned by an investor group including Satya Nadella, Soma Somasegar, Samir Bodas, Ashok Krishnamurthi, and Sanjay Parthasarathy—and the GMR Group.[3] The Orcas have a minor league affiliate called the Seattle Thunderbolts,[4] who play in Minor League Cricket and were the 2022 champions.[5]

The team plans to have their home ground at Marymoor Park in Redmond, Washington.[6] The park's cricket ground is set to have a capacity of up to 6,000 people once it is completed around 2025.[7] The team is coached by former Indian cricketer Pravin Amre.[8]

History

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Background

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In November 2021, the Bellevue City Council passed a resolution to support further research into the cost and feasibility for a cricket facility in Seattle.[9] This was followed by a similar resolution that the Redmond City Council adopted in January 2022.[10] A motion of support to develop a cricket facility in Marymoor Park was then passed by King County in February 2022.[6][11] In May 2022, Major League Cricket announced that Somasegar and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella were among some of the lead investors launching Major League Cricket in the U.S.[12]

In March 2023, MLC unveiled the team ownership, name, and logo prior to the inaugural MLC domestic draft.[13] It was also announced that the team would partner with the GMR Group, who co-owns the Delhi Capitals of the Indian Premier League.[14] Co-owner Somasegar stated that the Orcas name and colors "pay tribute to our local community [of Seattle] that has helped build that spirit of support".[15] On May 27, 2023, it was revealed that the Orcas had revamped their logo to emphasize its focus on cricket.[16]

2023 season

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Prior to the launch of the official season, it was announced the MLC's inaugural domestic draft would take place on March 19, 2023.[17] The Orcas had the first pick of the draft and selected Thunderbolts captain Harmeet Singh as their first overall draft pick, before adding the likes of Shehan Jayasuriya, Angelo Perera, and Shubham Ranjane in later draft selections.[18] In addition, Mitchell Marsh and Quinton de Kock were announced as some of the team's overseas signings during the draft.[19] Over the following months, several more overseas signings occurred, including the signings of Wayne Parnell, Dasun Shanaka, and Heinrich Klaasen—amongst others.[20][21][22]

The team also announced their lineup of support staff, with Johan Botha coming on board as the team's bowling coach, Ross Taylor as the team's batting coach, Pravin Amre as the team's head coach, and Jarrod Harkness as the team analyst.[8]

Prior to the start of the season, Mitchell Marsh and Sikandar Raza—who were both included in the Orcas squad—withdrew from MLC due to it clashing with other tournaments such as the Ashes and the Zim Afro T10.[23]

In the start to their inaugural campaign, the Orcas' went top of the table by recording a 5-wicket win over the Washington Freedom,[24] a 35-run win over the San Francisco Unicorns,[25][26] and an 8-wicket win over the Texas Super Kings.[27] The Orcas' winning streak was snapped, however, during a 2-wicket defeat to the Los Angeles Knight Riders.[28] A 2-wicket win over MI New York assured the Orcas' a first-place finish going into the finals nevertheless.[29]

2024 season

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In December 2023, it was announced that the second season of the tournament would begin on July 4, 2024, four days after the conclusion of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.[30] This was later pushed back a day to July 5.

Ahead of the start of the season, on February 15, 2024, the team released a list of retained overseas players which included the likes of Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock, and captain Wayne Parnell. On March 1, 2024, the team released a list of retained domestic players which included the likes of Harmeet Singh, Shehan Jayasuriya, and Cameron Gannon.[31] During the season's domestic players' draft on March 21, 2024, a total of 3 players were picked by the team over 10 rounds.[32][33] Following the draft, the team announced a slew of overseas signings from New Zealander Michael Bracewell to Vincentian cricketer Obed McCoy.[34]

Current squad

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  • Players with international caps are listed in bold.
Seattle Orcas roster
Position Name Nationality Date of birth (age) Batting style Bowling style Year signed Notes
Batters Shehan Jayasuriya  Sri Lanka (1991-09-12) September 12, 1991 (age 33) Left-handed Right-arm off-break 2023
Nauman Anwar  Pakistan (1995-10-12) October 12, 1995 (age 29) Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium 2023
All-rounders Michael Bracewell  New Zealand (1991-02-14) February 14, 1991 (age 33) Left-handed Right arm off-break 2024 Direct signing
Imad Wasim  Pakistan (1988-12-18) December 18, 1988 (age 35) Left-handed Slow Left-arm orthodox 2023
Harmeet Singh  United States (1992-09-07) September 7, 1992 (age 32) Left-handed Left-arm orthodox 2023 Vice-Captain
Shubham Ranjane  India (1994-03-26) March 26, 1994 (age 30) Right-handed Right-arm medium 2023
Cameron Gannon  United States (1989-01-23) January 23, 1989 (age 35) Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium 2023
Hammad Azam  Pakistan (1991-03-16) March 16, 1991 (age 33) Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium 2024
Ayan Desai  United States (2002-04-03) April 3, 2002 (age 22) Right-handed Right-arm fast-medium 2024
Wicket-keepers Quinton de Kock  South Africa (1992-12-17) December 17, 1992 (age 31) Left-handed 2023 Direct signing
Heinrich Klaasen  South Africa (1991-07-30) July 30, 1991 (age 33) Right-handed Right-arm off spin 2023 Direct signing
Ryan Rickelton  South Africa (1996-07-11) July 11, 1996 (age 28) Left-handed 2024 Direct signing
Bowlers Wayne Parnell  South Africa (1989-07-30) July 30, 1989 (age 35) Left-handed Left-arm medium-fast 2023 Direct signing; Captain
Nandre Burger  South Africa (1995-08-11) August 11, 1995 (age 29) Left-handed Left-arm fast 2024 Direct signing
Ali Sheikh  United States (2003-02-23) February 23, 2003 (age 21) Left-handed Slow Left-arm orthodox 2024
Nathan Ellis  Australia (1994-09-22) September 22, 1994 (age 30) Right-handed Right arm fast-medium 2024 Direct signing
Lance Morris  Australia (1998-03-28) 28 March 1998 (age 26) Right-handed Right arm fast-medium 2024 Direct signing, withdrawn
Obed McCoy  West Indies (1997-01-04) 4 January 1997 (age 27) Left-handed Left-arm fast-medium 2024 Direct signing

Administration and support staff

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Seattle Orcas staff
Position Name
Head coach Pravin Amre
Bowling coach Johan Botha
Batting coach Ross Taylor

Seasons

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Seasons

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Year League standing Final standing
2023 1st Runners-up
  •   C: champions
  •   RU: runner-up
  •   SF team qualified for the semi-final stage of the competition

Season summary

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Year Played Wins Losses Tied/NR[a]
2023 7 5 2
Source: ESPNCricinfo[35]

Notes

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  1. ^ NR indicates "no result", while abandoned matches are also indicated as "no result".

References

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  1. ^ Oxley, Dyer (March 16, 2023). "Seattle is getting a major league cricket team". KUOW. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  2. ^ Santos, Melissa (March 17, 2023). "Meet the Orcas, Seattle's new cricket team". Axios. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  3. ^ IANS (March 17, 2023). "Satya Nadella, GMR group bag rights for a team in US' T20 franchise Major League Cricket". Business Insider India. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  4. ^ Cassidy, Benjamin (July 26, 2022). "Cricket's Up to Bat in Seattle". Seattle Met. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  5. ^ Cassidy, Benjamin (September 27, 2022). "Seattle's Celebrating a Championship Today—in Cricket". Seattle Met. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Saunders, Hannah (February 24, 2022). "King County passes Motion of Support for Marymoor Cricket Community Park". Redmond Reporter. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  7. ^ Della Penna, Peter (March 18, 2023). "USA T20 franchise league MLC projected to spend $110 million on facilities ahead of 2023 launch". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Hariharan, Vishwanath (June 17, 2023). "MLC 2023: Seattle Orcas announces their coaching staff; Ross Taylor appointed as batting coach". CricketTimes.com. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  9. ^ "Council Roundup: Smart debt management". City of Bellevue. November 3, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2023. The council unanimously supported further research into the cost and feasibility for a cricket facility  ...
  10. ^ "City of Redmond Resolution No. 1551". City of Redmond. January 18, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2023. Redmond supports efforts to evaluate the opportunity to bring Major League Cricket to our region and the development of a multipurpose cricket facility ... supporting development of world class cricket infrastructure in the region to support the growth of cricket and provide greater opportunities ...
  11. ^ Della Penna, Peter (March 18, 2022). "USA T20 franchise league MLC projected to spend $110 million on facilities ahead of 2023 launch". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  12. ^ Schlosser, Kurty (May 18, 2022). "Major League Cricket secures $120M funding from Microsoft CEO and others to launch in U.S." GeekWire.
  13. ^ "Satya Nadella's new Seattle pro cricket team has a name". Puget Sound Business Journal. March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  14. ^ "Seattle makes splash with new Major League Cricket team". Seattle Refined. March 18, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  15. ^ "Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, GMR group secure rights for a team in US' T20 franchise Major League Cricket". Business Today. March 19, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  16. ^ Seattle Orcas [@MLCSeattleOrcas] (May 27, 2023). "New Logo Alert! The Seattle Orcas are proud to unveil the franchise's new logo which is sure to make a big splash. #SeattleOrcas #MLC2023 #MajorLeagueCricket @MLCricket" (Tweet). Retrieved May 31, 2023 – via Twitter.
  17. ^ Della Penna, Peter (February 3, 2023). "MLC set to launch with draft on March 19 at NASA's Johnson Space Center". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  18. ^ Della Penna, Peter (March 20, 2023). "Harmeet Singh goes first in MLC Draft to Seattle Orcas; Ali Khan and Unmukt Chand snapped by LA Knight Riders". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  19. ^ Savage, Nic (March 20, 2023). "Aaron Finch, Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Marsh sign on for inaugural Major League Cricket tournament". Fox Sports. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  20. ^ "Wayne Parnell Joins Quinton De Kock At Seattle Orcas". Club Cricket SA. May 5, 2023. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  21. ^ "MLC 2023: Seattle Orcas rope in Dasun Shanaka for inaugural edition". CricTracker. The Tribune. May 11, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  22. ^ Moyo, Brandon (May 17, 2023). "Raza signs for USA's Major League Cricket". The Chronicle. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  23. ^ Roller, Matt (July 4, 2023). "Maxwell, Marsh pulled out of the Hundred by Cricket Australia". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  24. ^ "MLC: Seattle Orcas clinch five-wicket win over Washington Freedom in a thriller". The Sun. July 15, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  25. ^ "Klaasen, bowlers fire Orcas to second win". Cricbuzz. July 15, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  26. ^ "Hetmyer shines with cameo in MLC". The Jamaica Star. July 17, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  27. ^ "Wayne Parnell's 5-for takes Orcas top of MLC 2023 table". Cricket.com. July 17, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  28. ^ "MLC 2023: Rilee Rossouw helps LA Knight Riders end winless run with a thrilling victory". The Times of India. July 23, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  29. ^ "Klaasen century takes Seattle past New York in high-scoring game". ESPNcricinfo. July 24, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  30. ^ "MLC 2024 set for July 4 start". Cricbuzz. December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  31. ^ "INTERNATIONAL T20 SUPERSTARS RETURNING FOR MLC SEASON TWO". Major League Cricket. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  32. ^ "2024 MLC Domestic Draft Results". Major League Cricket. March 22, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  33. ^ Sagar, Singh (March 21, 2024). "MLC Domestic Draft: Hassan Khan, Joshua Tromp draw top dollars. Smit Patel unsold". Cricbuzz. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  34. ^ Muthu, Deivarayan (March 22, 2024). "Texas Super Kings snap up Mitchell for MLC 2024, Shepherd goes to MI New York". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  35. ^ "Major league Cricket Points Table". ESPNCricinfo. February 6, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
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