Wisden Almanack review - Israel

Cricket in Israel is thriving, with more than 1,100 boys and girls actively involved in our youth programme on a weekly basis. In a country where soccer and basketball reign supreme, we have made inroads into major schools. The widening gap between Israel junior sides and the rest of Europe B division was evident at the Under-15 B division tournament in France where Israel swept away all five countries to take the gold medal: more than 98% of our youth players were born and bred in Israel. Lions Lod achieved the double for the second year running in the senior competitions. Opening batsmen Yefet Nagawkar and Mahendra Jaiswar scored more than 1,000 runs between them, while the Massil brothers took nearly 50 wickets. Tel Aviv were relegated for the first time, after their game in Beersheba was abandoned due to a sandstorm.