Club News
First XI’s fate in its own hands
The Maccabi AJAX First XI left their contest in a winnable position after day one of its round four clash, posting a defendable score and claiming an early wicket.
Other sides are also in strong positions after good efforts with both bat and ball.
The first XI elected to bat in its match at Sunshine United.
The early loss of captain Jonathan Weinstock sent tension through the ranks, but in form pair David Majtlis (35) and Jonty Rosenthal (31) steadied the ship with a comfortable 57-run stand.
Nerves shook again when the two batsmen were dismissed in quick succession, leaving the innings tenderly poised at 3/78. Solid contributions from Daniel Onas (36) and Troy Lamb (25) in the middle order helped progress the total, but no batsman built on the start they made.
Steady wickets down the order saw the firsts dismissed for 171, a defendable total, with four overs still to play before stumps.
The responding innings started perfectly for Maccabi AJAX with speed demon Garry Litinsky trapping an opposition opener in front before a score was registered.
Sunshine sit on 1/6 going into day two, with the first XI confident they can restrict the home side.
The second XI were sent in to bat in their match against Cheltenham and were in trouble early, losing both openers cheaply to sit at 2/32.
Young sensation Rowan Bricker (37) and Mike Meadows (26) began to turn the tables with a partnership of 39 but wickets were falling regularly.
Warren Sevel batted solidly in the middle of the order, but his unbeaten 26 was halted prematurely after running out of partners.
Maccabi AJAX posted 128 with 17 overs still to play, in which they needed a few wickets.
In response, the visitors toiled hard but lost two batsmen to tight bowling and good fielding pressure.
They reached 2/28 by the day’s end as the game looks set to reach a tense climax.
The Third XI amassed a mammoth total away at East Malvern, climbing to 6/354 before they ran out of overs.
Skipper Darren Bloch (72) and 14 year-old Brandon Friedman (56)- making his debut appearance with the bat for the third XI - kicked the innings off superbly with a resounding 146-run opening stand, and with Devan Spilkin (40), Paul Fink (39), Clint Yudelman (38*) and Ben Fisher (37) all doing their bit along the way, the home side never looked like restricting Maccabi AJAX to an attainable total.
The side will hope to be on their best bowling and fielding game next week to push for maximum points.
The fourth XI arrived at the ground to find an unfit pitch and play was suspended for the day - their contest against Port Melbourne will become a one-dayer next week.
The Silver Arc fifth XI earned first innings points in their clash at Emmanuel South Oakleigh, but the final result could fall either way next week.
Having been sent in, the fifths looked in trouble with some top order wickets falling cheaply.
Third XI premiership player Jason Webb, however, proved as solid as ever, pitching in with a respectable 48 as others fell around him.
Skipper Michael Caspi hit a handy 19 and debutant Tahl Lerner hit a valuable 11 runs batting a number 11 as Maccabi AJAX's innings was ended at 113.
In response, the home side fell to the magic of Yossi Herbst, who claimed 4/8 from five overs.
Another first-gamer, Daniel Jones, captured 3/36 and was also instrumental in closing the innings at just 87, giving Maccabi AJAX a first innings llead of 26 runs, with 10 overs still left before the close of play.
In those ten overs, the Silver Arc fifth XI managed to reach 1/7 and will look to close out what would be a memorable win next week.
The first XI concludes its contest against Sunshine United at Selwyn Park, Sunshine [Mel Ref 26 D11] on Saturday. The action begins at 1pm.
