Champions off to winning start

Lions Lod began the defense of their league title with a win over Be'er Sheva A on Saturday. However, Lions didn't have things all their own way, as Be'er Sheva put in a much improved performance on their dismal showing last week, and at one stage were looking good for an upset win. In Division 2, Tel Aviv got their first points of the season, beating Lod in a low-scoring encounter, whilst in Division 3, Petah Tikva and the Negev Academy both recorded narrow wins over Lions Be'er Sheva and Kiryat Gat respectively.

Batting first at Hadar Yosef, Lions Lod lost two early wickets, but Yefet Nagavkar (47), Isaac Massil (19) and David Massil (25) led the recovery, before lower order batsman Akhil Rajput (47) ensured they reached a defendable score of 176. Be'er Sheva didn't start too confidently either, but Avraham Benjamin (38) played well to keep them in with a chance. Lions have not lost a match in over two years of domestic cricket, and ensured that streak would continue as Gershom Massil (3 for 18) picked up two late wickets to end Be'er Sheva's brave resistance, dismissing them for 141, giving Lions victory by 35 runs.

Tel Aviv won the toss and asked Lod to bat, and with pace bowlers, brothers Brett and Darryl Kree, in aggressive mood, and conditions to their liking, the decision was justified as Lod slumped to 9 for 4. Although they did manage some sort of a recovery, they were dismissed for just 97. Darryl Kree claimed two wickets in a good second spell to finish with 3 for 18, the best figures of the Tel Aviv bowlers. Tel Aviv hardly had things their own way in their reply, and as so often happens chasing a small score, lost a couple of wickets and were under some pressure. However Frank Augner played a solid innings of 34 not out to ensure his team would reach their target, winning by 4 wickets. Avner Waskar took 4 for 12 in 8 tight overs for Lod.

Lions Be'er Sheva seemed as though they were going to be the team to beat in Division 3 after their thumping win in their opening fixture, but Petah Tikva, looking to bounce back after a miserable season last year, sprang a surprise in defeating their hosts by 3 wickets in Be'er Sheva. Hero of the day was Shai Samuel, who scored 89 not out as Petah Tikva successfully chased the score of 207 posted by Lions Be'er Sheva, for whom Saroja Sakin top scored with 49.

In the other Division 3 fixture of the day, played in Dimona, Kiryat Gat put in a good performance, but still came off second against the Negev Academy. Chasing 208 to win, Academy player-coach George Sheader scored 29 and Safania Naguakar 25, but Adiel Changuakar (47) and Solomon Varsulkar (22*) were the two players who secured the win with just 2 wickets remaining. Earlier, in the Kiryat Gat innings, Eliezer Yugadayev produced an excellent spell of bowling to take 4 for 36.