A brilliant all round team performance meant that South Manchester kept their title ambitions on track. Put into bat by Bury on a difficult batting wicket, South lost Rosenblum early, but that just brought Akiva Lieberman to the crease, who with Andrew Feldman, tore into the bowling attack.

No bowler was immune as Akiva Lieberman hit 10 fours and 3 sixes in his knock of 80. His dismissal just brought brother Dan Lieberman to the crease who continued where Akiva left off.

The tiring Bury attack came under immense pressure as he hit 12 fours and a six to finish on a mammoth 96 not out. Throughout he was supported by all the South batsmen especially Josh Wolfstein who gave the Bury bowlers no respite.

South finally finished their innings on 275-7 off their allotted overs, one of the highest scores in the history of the NJCL. Bury in reply made a steady start but realising the measure of the task they faced, opted to take matters steadily. Saunders and First put on 50 for the first wicket before First fell to Rosenblum. Only Saunders managed to tame the South bowling finishing on 42 before being one of three wickets falling to Akiva Liberman.

Shai Rabinovitz chipped in with two wickets including a first ball duck for last year’s player of the year Marc Blackstone.

Bury finally completed their overs finishing on 140 for 8 giving South a victory by the huge margin of 135 runs.

NJCL scoreboard

South Manchester Maccabi 275-7
Dan Lieberman 96 not out, Akiva Lieberman 81, Mark Blackston 3-44
Bury 146 for 8 Zevi Saunders 42, Akiva Lieberman 3-29
South Manchester (17 pts) beat Bury (8 pts) by 135 runs

Leeds 146 for 6
Salford 73 all out
Leeds (21 pts) beat Salford (4 pts) by 73 runs

Sedgley 87
Manchester Maccabi 88-3
Maccabi (22 pts) beat Sedgley (3 pts) by 7 wickets