Clapton Falcon CC 43 (12 overs) Mark Landau 8-23, Yoav Lebens 2-17
MAL CC 44-1 (10.4 overs) Landau 24*
MAL won by 9 wickets
MAL produced an outstanding performance with the ball and in the field to record a nine-wicket victory over Clapton Falcon CC in a friendly at Old Camdenians on Sunday.
Clapton won the toss and elected to bat on an excellent looking track. There was little evidence of the carnage to come as the openers took the score to 16 before Yoav Lebens produced an excellent inswinger to bowl Junaid for 6.
In the next over, Mark Landau had Sajaad caught in the gulley by Yoav for 5, and it was soon 18-3, as Landau trapped opposition skipper Ibrahim LBW for 1.
With both bowlers swinging the new ball prodigiously, Clapton were struggling, and two wickets fell in Landau's 4th over, Imtiyaz falling to an outstanding one handed grab by Gav Lebens at 2nd slip, and Hussain being well held by Pinty Baddiel at mid on.
The 6th wicket to fall saw Michael Klinger make good ground to hold a skied catch at mid-off to give Landau his 5th. With the score now at 43 Yoav Lebens picked up his second wicket, Baddiel again holding an excellent catch.
Landau's 6th over saw a triple wicket maiden, with Mohsin and Ayoub being clean bowled, before number 11 Mebs nicked behind to Tali Rowe, to leave Clapton in disarray having been bowled out for 43. Yoav finished with 2-17 from 6 overs, and Mark with the superb figures of 8-23 from 6.
With the Clapton Falcons innings having finished so early, it was decided that MAL's reply would begin before tea. Landau and Tali Rowe opened up and took the score to 25 before Rowe was bowled by Hussain for 2.
Baddiel joined Landau and the pair comfortably eased MAL to their target of 44 in the 11th over, with Landau finishing 24*, and Baddiel 8*.
A brilliant performance from MAL which should give them impetus going in to the Bank Holiday Monday game, and the league games which follow in the next couple of weeks.