Bacher leads SA to gold over India, Israel impressive in winning bronze

Adam Bacher showed his class in todays final of the cricket tournament, hitting an unbeaten 83 as SA chased down India's score of 142 for the loss of five wickets. In the match for third place, Israel saved their best batting effort for their last game, scoring 243 for nine in their 50 overs, which proved too many for Australia who were dismissed for 193.

Another highly successful Maccabiah cricket tournament came to an end at Hadar Yosef today, with a closely contested final between South Africa and India, and an entertaining third place play-off game between Australia and Israel. Batting first having won the toss, India needed runs from their two leading players Bension Sagawker and Swapnil Penkar, and they both didn't disappoint. Having been reduced to seven for two with Alon Glassman striking twice early on, Sogawker and Penkar added 81 for the third wicket before Sagawker skied a catch to Bacher off leg spinner Daniel Harrisberg having scored 50. Penkar fell for a well played 38, before Glassman returned to wrap up the innings, finishing with the sensational figures of five for 12 in 9 overs.

India's batting effort was probably below par, but 142 was looking very far away as Elijah David took two of the three early wickets to fall, leaving SA at two for three. Craig Kramer (15) was fourth man out with just 23 on the board, but for as long as Bacher was still there, SA were in with a chance. He shared a 78-run stand for the fifth wicket with Ryan Eisenhammer, and although David (three for 33) gave India hope with the dismissal of Eisenhammer (19), Bacher continued the march towards victory, which was completed after 37 overs.

India, who have been the surprise team of the tournament, can be extremely proud of their silver medals, and had more to cheer about with Sogawker named Player of the Tournament.

Batting first in the bronze medal match, Israel were given a strong start with Dani Hotz (31) and Raymond Aston (48) added 62 for the second wicket. The momentum continued through the innings with Yaniv Razpurker (41), Herschel Gutman (28) and then Gerrit Grundling (22*) taking them to a very respectable score of 243/9. Australia came out all guns blazing, with Bradley Majtlis taking 16 off the first over in boundaries, with a further 17 runs coming from the next two overs. However David Massil (two for 23 in 10) got the early break through and then removed the dangerous Majtlis (44) with Grundling taking a good catch running around the long on boundary. The Australian middle order can be credited for continuing to play their shots, with captain Brett Rosen (16), Dean Wiener (25), Dean Beissel (15) and David Fayman (19) all making starts. Gutman (two for 27) claimed two important wickets in an impressive spell, and Steven Shein (three for 34) bowled a tight spell to maintain the pressure on the Australians. Timothy Freed (29) put up a last fight, before being last man out with the score on 193, giving Israel victory by 50 runs and their first Maccabiah medal since 1997.

In a junior Twenty20 tournament played today in Be'er Sheva, SA won both their games to win the tournament, with Israel second and GB third.