Runs galore for Diamond CC as new batting record is set; Lions run wild in Be'er Sheva

Lions Lod easily overcame the challenge from Be'er Sheva A, winning by the comfortable margin of ten wickets. Ra'anana maintained second spot in Division 1 with a tense 25-run win over Young Ashdod, who put up a brave fight in a game highlighted by the good spirit in which it was played. Ramle scored a valuable victory over Dimona C, whilst the Negev Academy defeated Dimona A. However the main talking point of the weekend involved Diamond batsmen Shailesh Bhotra (160*) and Anis Zaveri (102*), who set a new Israel record for the 3rd wicket. The two added 272, as the Diamonds beat Petah Tikva by the massive margin of 253 runs.

The match between Ra'anana and Young Ashdod got off to a slightly delayed start in Ashdod on Friday, but there was nothing delayed about the start Ra'anana made to their innings. Adrian Vard and Solly Bergman raced along to 42 in 7 overs, before Raymond Aston struck, getting Vard caught behind for 21. Bergman (13) was bowled around his legs by the gentle medium pace of Eitan Benjamin on the stroke of the 10-over drinks break, leaving Ra'anana 48 for 2. David Silver, returning after an injury enforced absence, stroked three boundaries and seemed to be set for a big score, but got a faint edge off a short and wide delivery from Shai Gefen and was caught behind for 15. Steven Shein, content to play the anchor role, and Gal Matz, added 39 for the 4th wicket. Matz hit three successive fours in one Benjamin over, and also seemed well set. But Young Ashdod struck again on the stroke of drinks, as Matz (20) played lazily forward to a seemingly harmless Avi Talkar delivery and was out leg before. Danny Hotz joined Shein, with consolidation foremost on their minds. However with the score on 142 Shein was also guilty of a loss in concentration, playing lazily across the line to Carmi Moses and being bowled for 33. Hotz lost Des Moss, run out for 10, his father Jack, stumped for 1, and Eyal Matz (1), but found support from number ten batsman Ilan Menashe. Making sure to have most of the strike, the pair added 21 valuable runs as Hotz moved to a well played 50, before holing out to Benjamin (3 for 41) and being caught on the mid wicket fence. Menashe (5) and Gabi Schachat (3*) took the score past 200, with the final wicket falling on 207 off the final ball of the innings.

Chasing a score in excess of 200 would always be a big task for Young Ashdod, despite the depleted Ra'anana bowling attack. Shlomo Dhokarkar was employed as a pinch hitter, and although his batting was far from elegant, it certainly was effective. The shell shocked Ra'anana bowlers could only watch in disbelief as decent deliveries were hacked to all parts of the ground. By the time he was bowled by Shein for 32 in the 8th over, the score was already on 52. Des Moss removed Shai Penkar (1) shortly after, and Jared Solomon was bowled by Shein for 22. The tumble of wickets continued as Moss returned for a second spell, getting Talkar (7) and Benjamin (8) both caught behind by Danny Hotz. Although tottering on 84 for 5, captain Raymond Aston and veteran Shimshon Gerrard fought hard to bring their team back into the game. A partnership of 46 was finally broken when Eyal Matz removed Gerrard for 6. Gefen joined his captain, and just as it seemed victory seemed possible, Aston fell to Hotz, now with the gloves off and ball in hand, for a very well played innings of 38. Gefen played some handsome shots straight down the ground, but with wickets continuing to fall and the run rate climbing, the target was getting further and further away. An 18-run final wicket stand between Gefen and Alex Ozer kept up the tension, and provided some excitement for the sizeable and boisterous Ashdod crowd, but when Ozer pulled a Hotz delivery straight to Gal Matz at square leg the game was over; Gefen left stranded on 32 and Young Ashdod all out for 182.

Lions Lod were always expected to beat Be'er Sheva A, but not necessarily with the ease by which they romped to a 10-wicket win. Yefet Nagavkar was in sparkling form, hammering 83 not out, with Shalom Rubin the more subdued partner, finishing 27 not out, as Lions reached their target of 126 in the 14th over.

Earlier the Be'er Sheva innings was undone by the wily medium pace of Benny David, who returned the remarkable figures of 6 for 24. Off break bowler Anim Solomon was also in fine form, taking 4 for 18. Only Benny Gudker (34), and Avraham Benjamin (25) could post reasonable contributions, as Be'er Sheva once again showed why they are likely candidates for relegation next season.

Ramle put in a good team performance in securing a valuable win over Dimona C at Hadar Yosef on Saturday. Isaac Samson top scored with 29, but with almost every player making some sort of contribution, and Dimona's bowlers contributing with 42 extras, Ramle reached 192 for 9 in their 40 overs. Jacky Divekar bowled a tight spell, conceding just 14 runs in 8 overs as well as picking up a wicket.

The visitors reply just never got going, with Levy Nagawkar picking up 3 wickets in his opening spell to reduce Dimona to 27 for 3. Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, with the danger man Divekar dismissed by Yosef Mashilkar for 24. Samson Pingle (3 for 19) mopped up the tail as Dimona C were all out for 139, 52-runs short of their target.

Petah Tikva were hit for over 300 runs in their last match against Dimona A, but if they assumed that it could not happen again, they were sadly mistaken. Shailesh Bothra and Anis Zaveri came together with the score on 87 for 2. At the completion of their 40 overs they had taken the score on to 359; Bothra not out on 160 and Zaveri on 102. In the process, a new Israel record for the highest 3rd wicket partnership was set. The 272 set by the Diamond batsmen surpassed the previous record of 222, set by the Dimona pair of A. Eli and M. Walwatker in 1992, ironically against Petah Tikva as well.

As could be imagined, the Petah Tikva bowling figures hardly made for pretty reading. Unfortunately neither did their batting scorecard. Only two players made double figures; Rafael Elazar scored 15 and Ben Chur Samuel made 10. Nirav Shah took 4 for 41, and had it not been for the 59 extras conceded by the Diamonds, the margin of victory would have been even greater. As it was Petah Tikva could only reach 106, 253 runs short of their target. And all that after they won the toss and elected to field.

Adiel Changuakar and Ronen Waskar starred in a fantastic 5-wicket win for the Negev Academy over Dimona A in Division 3. Leg spinner Waskar took 5 for 29, and his spin partner Solomon Varsulkar 3 for 44, as Dimona A were dismissed for 164. Sanjay Gupta top scored with 34, with Bension Davidson and Rachamim Charikar each adding 33.

Despite losing early wickets as Gupta removed three of the top order, Changuakar and Waskar came together and professionally steered their team to victory with 13 balls remaining and 5 wickets in hand. Waskar was not out on 34, and Changuakar (50*) hit the winning runs with a boundary which also brought up his maiden half century at senior level.