Hotz leads Ra'anana to win

Ra'anana captain Dani Hotz almost single handedly defeated Ashdod, returning bowling figures of 5 for 21 in 5 overs, and then scoring an undefeated 70 to steer Ra'anana to an easy 8-wicket victory in their U16 league match played at Hadar Yosef on Thursday.

Despite the comfortable win, things didn't begin at all well for Ra'anana. Having won the toss and elected to bat, Ashdod captain Yani Raspurker, together with his opening partner Alex Ozer, played aggressively, adding 85 for the first wicket in just 11 overs. Both batsman punished anything loose, and it took an inswinging yorker from Gabi Schachat to eventually get the breakthrough, as Ozer was bowled for 27. Raspurker followed soon after, trying to hit Hotz's first ball over the top, but only managing to sky a simple catch which Hotz ran back to take himself. Raspurker hit six boundaries in his 39.

With both openers gone, there was little resistance left from Ashdod. Shifron Garsulkar (11) and Shmuel Moses (18) tried to build on the good start, but once they were both dismissed by Hotz, the final few wickets fell like dominoes, and Ashdod were all out for 135. Besides for Hotz and Schachat, there were wickets for Gal Matz, Matan Alter and Moshe Hyde.

Ashdod's chances of defending 135 were always going to depend on whether or not they could remove Ra'anana's main batsman, Hotz and Matz early. But ordinary bowling and sloppy fielding meant both batsman could play freely and without any pressure, building a partnership of 118. Hotz was dominant in scoring his 70, with Matz contributing a more subdued 41 not out.

The U16 league consists of four teams, with Dimona and Be'er Sheva also involved. Matches will continue throughout the summer