Cup Quarters: Memorable win for Lod, Diamonds shine again and Young Ashdod ease through

The ICA Cup semifinals will be played this weekend, although it is still unclear what the make up of the Final Four will be after the match between Neve Yonatan and Lions Lod was interrupted and not completed. Of the games that were completed last weekend, Division 2 outfit Lod Cricket Club scored a fine victory by 19 runs over Division 1 runners up Ra'anana, Young Ashdod overcame Dimona C by 20 runs and the Diamonds shone brightly in a 9-wicket demolition of Lions Be'er Sheva.

At Hadar Yosef on Saturday, three early wickets for Diamonds left arm seamer Nirav Shah left Lions Be'er Sheva reeling at 39 for 5, and things didn't get much better as they were all out for just 45. Diamonds knocked off the runs for the loss of one wicket, hardly breaking a sweat.

The game between Lod and Ra'anana was a far closer affair, with either team in with a shout of victory going into the final two overs. Lod, showing plenty of passion, together with discipline, were however the better team all round and well worth their victory. Batting first, the Sri Lankana pair of D'Silva D'Souza (33) and Suji Herath (47) both played aggressively, with Ravi Khanna (24) proving the perfect foil as he played the anchor role. Ra'anana didn't help themselves by conceding 40 extras, as Lod amassed 189 for 5 in their 30 overs.

Ra'anana started badly losing a wicket in the first over, but Danny Brill (39) and Steven Shein (28) stabilized things with a partnership of 75 in just 11 overs. However Lod struck back, removing both players in the space of a couple of balls. Danny Hotz and Adrian Vard revived Ra'anana's hopes with a stand of 73 for the 5th wicket, but Lod remained focused and stuck to the basics, and with the required run rate climbing, were rewarded with the wickets of both batsmen, Hotz (30) and Vard (46) in quick succession with 27 runs still required. Captain Avner Waskar (3 for 33) picked up the last few wickets to give his team a most satisfying and deserved win.