The NJCL experienced mixed fortunes in two rep team matches.
The new project featuring an extended fixture list against higher-skilled opposition got underway with the 1st XI winning by 162 runs.
Opting to bat on a glorious sunny day, NJCL maintained a healthy run-rate of above five an over. Shaya Rabinowitz got the innings off to a flier with 18. But he and fellow opener Rosenlum fell in quick succession, prompting fears of a collapse.
A 50- run partnership between Allwiez and Dan Lieberman steadied the ship. Akiva Lieberman, Watson, Woolfstien and Steve Glicher were all dismissed in the 20s to bring the total up to 226.
Chasing nearly seven an over, Cheedle Hulme came out swinging from the off which led to four wickets in the first four overs - two apiece to Daniel Paul and Lieberman.
Cheedle looked to have steadied the innings as they passed the 50 mark, but three quick Shaya Rabinowitz wickets and two run outs saw NJCL claim an easy victory.
A mixture of experience and youth was the order of the day for an NJCL 2nd XI coming together for the first time. Looking for some early juice in the Scholes Field track, NJCL opted to field and teenagers Charlie Mason and David Cohen took first use of the ball.
Olympic’s openers were, however, hungry for runs and put on a rapid 61 for the first wicket before Jake Woolfstein forced a false hook from Usmani who was caught at square leg by Wineberg. Shortly after, Adam Goldstone bowled Shah for a duck but Olympic’s opener, Ghazanfar, was still striking the ball powerfully until left armer, Adam Shogger, bowled him for 68.
In the next over, Captain Jonny Wineberg had Adeal LBW for another duck as the NJCL bowlers started to find their rhythm and began to reduce the run rate.
A 72 run 5th wicket partnership was broken when Woolfstein bowled Shah for 65 and he then took a third wicket, clean bowling Shaikh.
David Cohen picked up a deserved wicket, a sharp catch by Wineberg at short cover removing Khan without scoring. Olympic ended up on 226 for 7 in their 35 overs. Pick of the bowlers was Woolfstein with 3 wickets for 38 runs off his 7 overs.
With temperatures soaring, the NJCL batsman found it difficult to respond to some stifling Olympic bowling. Barry Price was bowled by Usmani for 4 and Aron Horwich was unfortunate when a well struck drive was caught low by Usmani off his own bowling.
An extravagant sweep from Wayne Doyle’s flew high off his top edge to be caught by wicket keeper Ghazanfar off Zafar. Jake Woolfstein scored 3 before being caught by Zeeshan off Siddiq.
Gideon Sacofsky was batting well before being bowled by a swinging Yorker from Siddiq and, when Ray Tammam was bowled by Khan for 3, NJCL found themselves on 41 for 6 and in danger of being swept away.
However Adam Goldstone was keeping a very straight bat, playing some beautiful shots and looking very solid. Jonny Wineberg was caught at mid off by Zeeshan trying to hit Khan over the infield. Goldstone and David Cohen then put on 30 for the 8th wicket before the former was caught and bowled by Inivat for 21.
At 84 for 7, a large defeat looked on the cards but a battling batting performance by David Cohen and Adam Shogger saw them put on an undefeated 51 for the 9th wicket. Cohen, with some powerful drives, ended on 32 not out, to complete an excellent all round performance. Shogger, with a couple of fierce pulls, got himself to 26 not out before the overs ran out.
Whilst the 91 run defeat was quite comprehensive, the performances of youngsters including Jake Woolfstein, Adam Goldstone and David Cohen augur well for the rest of the season.
