Magical MAL win the lot

MAL completed the Maccabi League treble after beating Southgate by seven wickets to win the playoff final.

Southgate skipper Richard Mitchell won the toss and elected to bat first.

The batsmen struggled to exert any pressure on MAL stalwarts Charlie Sherrard (1-29) and Tony Wise (2-15) who conceded just 44 runs in 16 overs.

All-rounder Norman Bean was the only Southgate batsman to settle with a belligerent 25. There was no respite for Southgate as Grant Traub and Yoni Fidler replaced the two veterans. Traub tossed the ball up and the batsmen obliged by giving Brian Kobrin two catches.

Traub finished with 3-15 and Fidler 2-26 from eight hostile overs before Jon Begner cleaned up the tail with two wickets in five balls.

Southgate were bowled out for 104 in less than 33 overs.

MAL's reply started solidly with Mark Landau and Tali Rowe taking the score to 30-0. Bean continued his impressive display by bowling both openers. Kobrin played on to leave MAL 42-3 but Steve Braude saved his best innings of the season for the opportune moment and decided that attack was the way forward. He launched three big sixes in an unbeaten 30 as MAL eventually cruised to victory in 27.3 overs.

MAL skipper Gavriel Lebens said: "I'm proud of the team's efforts over the season. We've had a great spirit backed up some really fine displays in all departments."

Victory rounded off a fantastic season for MAL. They have maintained an unbeaten record in all competitive cricket and have remained unbeaten in all Sunday cricket since June, to build on their success in the Maccabi Sunday Cricket League and Twenty20 competitions.

Bury deny Maccabi

Bury and Whitefield ripped up the formbook to end South Manchester Maccabi's treble hopes with a deserved victory in the NJCL cup final.

Having struggled to win a match this season, Bury pulled off a four-wicket victory and became the only team to beat Maccabi in a competitive match this season.

Put in to bat, South made a steady start before Josh Rose, Daniel Caller and Mark Blackston (2-17) had them in trouble at 35-4.

Fresh from the Maccabiah trials, Akiva Lieberman kept the innings together with 34 and together with Steve Glicher (35) took South past the hundred mark. A hat-trick from Adam Schogger (4-21) ensured that South could not boost their score from 124 with two overs remaining.

Bury's reply started in patient mood with intelligent running between Zevi Saunders and man of the match David First (38) pushing them towards the target.

They overcame late nerves with Caller smashing 11 off three balls and leave Shimon Harris to hit the winning runs.

Cricket scoreboard

BMSL Playoff final

Southgate 104

MAL 105-3

MAL won by 7 wickets

NJCL Cup Final

South Manchester 124 Steve Glicher 35, Akiva Lieberman 34, Adam Schogger 4-21

Bury & Whitefield 125-6 David First 38

Bury & Whitefield won by 4 wickets

Friendlies

London Maccabi Vale 178 Paul Durban 48, Jeffrey Permutt 47, Danny Caro 35