18th Maccabiah cricket schedule released

Cricket fans are in for a treat over the next few weeks, with no fewer than 20 games of cricket played at four venues over 12 days. Australia, Great Britain, India, Israel and South Africa will compete in the senior competition.

All games will be played in-line with 50-over one-day international rules with former test star Adam Bacher again the main attraction, captaining the South African side looking to defend their title. India is reportedly sending a strong team, including Bension Sagavkar who has Ranji Trophy experience. Australia have been hit by the withdrawal of star player Michael Klinger who has been selected for Australia A, and should do well to repeat their silver medal performance of the previous Games. Both Great Britain and Israel will be eying a place in the final. The Israel team, to be captained by Herschel Gutman, has the advantage of playing at home, on pitches and in conditions very familiar to all the players whilst difficult for their visiting delegations.

The youth tournament has been unfortnuately reduced to three teams, with Australia pulling out. South Africa, who totally dominated the event last time round, should once again be favorites although Great Britain will arrive well prepared and highly motivated. Israel, with one eye on the European U19 Championships in Belgium just a week after the Games, will, like their senior counterparts, rely on familiarity of conditions to give them a chance of causing an upset or two.

Twenty20 cricket makes its debut at the 18th Maccabiah, with both seniors and juniors enjoying a seperate competition in the format of the game that has taken the cricket world by storm in recent years.

Hadar Yosef Stadium in Tel Aviv will once again be the main venue, with both fields being used whenever available. A new pitch has recently been laid in Lod especially for the Games, whilst Kibbutz Gezer will host two youth matches as well. Be'er Sheva, one of the main cricketing centers in Israel, is finally rewarded with hosting Maccabiah games, hosting the Twenty20 youth tournament.