Lions tamed by Tel Aviv

Newly promoted Tel Aviv provided the shock of the season when they defeated Lions Lod in a hard fought Division 1 encounter at Hadar Yosef, handing the champions their first defeat in four season. Ra'anana edged out Ashdod A by 18 runs, and in Division 2, Ramle maintained their excellent form, with a 4-wicket win over Diamonds.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, Tel Aviv lost Paul Thomas early, before Stanley Perlman and Shai Samuel added 44 for the 2nd wicket. Steve Leigh was out to a brilliant diving catch by Isaac Massil, standing as wicketkeeper, and then Perlman became the third player to be adjudged leg before, out for a quick fire 43. Tel Aviv suffered their usual middle order hiccups until Mike Mohnblatt joined Dovi Meyers. The last pair added 38 invaluable runs, with Meyers completing his maiden half century before holing out to Benny David for an excellent 51. All the Lions bowlers took 2 wicket apiece with Benny David taking 2 for 15.

Set to score 145 to win seemed a mere formality for a team with the batting depth of Lions Lod. The TA captain might have wondered at his decision to open the bowling with left hand spinner Meyers who conceded 20 runs in 2 overs. Lions Lod were coasting at 35 off 8 overs when the evergreen Mike Mohnblatt had Nagawkar (14) bowled. Eshkol Solomon (1) was run out looking for a second, before Lushenko Perreira showed why he is one of the best fast bowlers in Israel, removing first Shalom Rubin (23), then Isaac Massil (17), caught at point by Elad Graham, and then fellow Sri Lankan Janath. Perreira ended with 3 for 30 in 8 overs. The remaining resistance came from David Massil (25) until he was given out leg before off the bowling of Yossi Satamkar, and Lions were eventually all out for 125, 19 runs short.

Dani Hotz and Danny Brill gave Ra'anana an excellent start to their innings against Ashdod A, both scoring half centuries in an opening stand of 116. Brill, remarkably dropped three times in the space of 2 overs earlier in his innings, was eventually bowled by Hillel Awaskar for 50, and Hotz was out soon after, brilliantly caught in the gulley by Menashe Wadhawker for 56. Rafi Zauer (23) and David Silver (20) kept the momentum going, and Gal Matz (22) also contributed in a total of 223 for 8. Off spinner Danny Malyanker bowled very well in the closing overs to take 4 for 26.

Ashdod began their innings in fine style, with Danny Malyanker playing the shot of the day, driving Hotz through extra cover. However he fell trying to repeat the shot a few balls later, brilliantly caught and bowled by Hotz, diving to his left. Awasker (20) and Romi Chaulkar (15) failed to build on their starts, and when Wadhawker (34) was caught on the square leg boundary straight after the second drinks break, Ashdod's chances seemed all but over. However the lower order fought hard, but the task proved just beyond them, and the final wicket fell with the score on 205.

Fantastic batting by the Pingle brothers, Daniel and Samson, took Ramle to victory over Diamonds. Opening the innings together, Daniel was not out on 67, and Samson scored 46, as Ramle reached their target of 163. Kiran Patel gave Diamonds hope, grabbing 4 wickets for 24 runs in his 8 overs. Earlier, Raju Shah (39) top scored for Diamonds, who remain without a win this season.