Steve Smith’s 500 and a crucial partnership with Mark Chapman helped the Washington Freedom beat the San Francisco Unicorns by five wickets and climb to the top of the Major League Cricket table with their second successive win.Electing to bowl first at the Knight Riders Cricket Field in Pomona, Washington did well with the ball to keep San Francisco out for 126 all out in 19.3 overs on a pitch that gave pace and bounce to the bowlers.San Francisco endured a difficult start as Ben Dwarshuis struck twice to remove Lhuan-dre Pretorius and captain Matthew Short, while Jack Edwards produced an impressive display to take four wickets. Edwards removed Finn Allen, Aaron Hardie, Sanjay Krishnamurthi and Haris Rauf to finish with figures of 4 for 13 from 3.3 overs.Short tried to stop the innings with a patient 39 off 34 balls, but regular wickets kept San Francisco from climbing. Hassan Khan managed a late reprieve with 27 from 28 balls, but the innings went on to 126 after Ian Holland took two wickets in the last over.Washington’s pursuit began with difficulty Xavier Bartlett he removed Mitchell Owen in the opener, before Haris Rauf removed the promoted Jack Edwards. When Brody Couch shot Andries Gous In the fourth quarter, Washington was down 19 to 3 and under pressure.However, captain Steve Smith and Mark Chapman boosted the innings with a match-defining partnership of 72 runs for the fourth wicket. Chapman played very strongly, hitting 44 from 33 balls with four fours and two sixes before collapsing heavily at half-century.Smith then dominated the chase, bringing up his first fifty of the season with an innings of 56 from 49. Although he fell by just four runs, Nikhil Chaudhary and Obus Pienaar finished the job with 11 balls to spare, sealing a crucial victory for Washington.