Young Ashdod take giant step towards league title

A few months ago, at the start of the league season, Young Ashdod slumped to a 9-wicket loss to city rivals Ashdod A. However, the team has bounced back strongly with events both on and off the field essentially meaning that one victory out of their two remaining games could be enough to secure them the Division 1 title. Playing against Ra'anana in Ashdod on Friday, they secured the narrowest of wins. Chasing 213 for victory, Young Ashdod reached their target with just 1 wicket in hand, but not before a catch which would have won the game for Ra'anana was put down with 2 runs to win.

Captain Gal Matz top scored for Ra'anana with 37 not out, and Rafi Zauer contributed 34, as most of the top order failed to build on good starts. Eitan Benjamin took 3 for 39, before leading the Young Ashdod batting with a typically aggressive 58. Shmuel Moses scored 34, with Raymond Aston steering his team home with an unbeaten 25, sharing a vital 12-run stand for the last wicket with his father Abe. Adrian Vard took 4 for 35 for Ra'anana.

In the weekends other game, Diamonds boosted their chances of avoiding relegation from Division 2, defeating the Negev Academy by 46 runs yesterday in Ashdod. Batting first, the Diamonds recovered from 39 for 3 to post a useful score of 216, with Shailesh Bothra scoring 62. Although always being up with the required run rate, the Academy boys eventually simply ran out of wickets, dismissed for 170.