Title race sizzles as Ra'anana slip up v Neve Yonatan, Lions Lod draw with Young Ashdod

The title race is set to go down to the final weekend of matches, after a dramatic start to the second round of matches in Division 1 in sweltering conditions over the weekend. League leaders Ra'anana were defeated by Neve Yonatan in Ashdod on Friday, but neither of their rivals were able to capitalize fully as Young Ashdod and Lions Lod played out a draw in Ashdod on Saturday. With two rounds of matches remaining, all three teams remain realistic title contenders. Ra'anana, on 229 points, enjoy a 18-point lead over Lions Lod (211), with Young Ashdod (200) a little further back.

Batting first, Ra'anana slumped from 132 for 3 to 162 all out as Nadav Razpurker (three for 30) and Yefet Kamrelkar (four for 26) benefited as the visitors paid the price of trying to up the tempo and post a match-winning score, whilst leaving themselves enough time to bowl the opposition out. In reply, Neve Yonatan started well with a 41-run stand between Arieh Oskar (38) and Aby Daniels (12), although Ra'anana picked up a couple of quick wickets as Neve Yonatan suffered a mini-collapse of their own, losing three wickets for two runs, reduced to 76 for 4. However Itamar Kehimkar played a little gem of an innings, reaching a deserved half century off just 51 balls, as the winning runs were scored with five wickets still remaining. Leg spinner Josh Evans took three for 30.

Young Ashdod enjoyed the early advantage, reducing Lions Lod to 11 for three, and then 46 for four, before Isaac Massil (89) and Anim Solomon (64) added 146 for the 6th wicket, as Lions declared after 44 overs on 257 for seven. Never in with a chance of winning, Young Ashdod batted out for a draw, finishing on 132 for 4.

Both matches in the bottom half group finished in draws as well, although both were extremely close. At Lod, Lod Rangers scored 221 for 6 in their 37 overs, after Ashdod A had declared their innings closed after 43 overs on 226/9, Menashe Wadhawker (58) top scoring. Eliezer Samson enjoyed a good allround performance for the home team, taking three for 32 and then scoring 53*.

In Be'er Sheva, Avishai Satamkar scored 100 not out and Naor Gudker contributed 50, as the hosts batted 42 overs before declaring on 271 for 6. Kiryat Gat began their reply strongly, with Avshalom Sankar (37) and Stephen Grass (73) adding 112 for the first wicket, but wickets began to tumble thereafter and by the end of the allotted overs Kiryat Gat were clinging on to the draw, 201 for nine.