A blistering half century from Andre Russell earned him Player-of-the-March award, but Los Angeles Knight Riders slumped to their fourth consecutive loss when Washington Freedom beat them by six wickets in the Major League Cricket at Church Street Park in the United States.
The West Indies all-rounder slammed 6 fours and 6 sixes in an unbeaten 70 from 37 deliveries and was the juice that propelled the Knight Riders to 175 for 7 from their allocated 20 overs after they were put in to bat at the ninth match of the Twenty20 tournament.
Consistent batting led by Matthew Short with 43 and fellow opener Andries Gous with 41 set the tone for freedom as they successfully chased the target to clinch their second win and move up to third in the points table.
Australian Short got Freedom off to a perfect start when he lashed two fours and a six in the first over of the chase and United States international Gous backed him up with 3 fours and a six in the second over.
They shared 68 for the first wicket before Italy international pacer Spencer Johnson got Gous caught at centre mid wicket in the final over of the Powerplay.
A handful of batsman got starts without carrying on for Freedom before United States international Obus Pienaar, not out on 26, and his captain Australian all-rounder Moises Henriques, not out on 16, shared an unbroken stand of 41 to take the Washington franchise over the line.
The result meant that LAKR bowed out of the playoff race and kept Freedom, whose line up included West Indies left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein in contention to challenge for the title.
Earlier on, Russell led the Knight Riders recovery efforts after they stumbled to 68 for 4 in the 11th over, sharing 86 for the fifth wicket with South Africa batsman Rilee Roussouw.
Three wickets in the span of seven deliveries, including Roussouw who made 41 and out-of-favour, West Indies off-spinner Sunil Narine, weakened the late charge for the Knight Riders and Russell was left to muscle them to an acceptable total.
