London Maccabi Vale leapfrog Wembley after 8-wicket victory

With the pitch offering consistent pace and bounce, and with an eye-catchingly short boundary on one side of the wicket, Vale stuck to their task.

Steven Allweis grabbed two early wickets to set the tone and despite Wembley’s Australian overseas professional hitting a century, Vale never wilted in the heat.

Joe Nyman picked up one wicket and stemmed the flow of runs in an impressive spell during the middle overs, while Brand’s clever changes of pace kept a lid on proceedings.

Allweis then returned at the death to pick up three wickets in his final over and return a second successive five-wicket hauls.

Vale’s response was led by the opening pair of Danny Caro and Joseph Greenwall-Cohen, both of whom played a string of lovely shots and laid the foundations for victory. Targeting the short boundary, there were cuts and drives aplenty as they piled on the runs, until both were dismissed within a couple of overs for 40 apiece.

It was then left to Ben Kohler and Brand to steer the side home. Kohler brought up his half century with a typically wristy flick for four and was there at the end, undefeated on 59, accompanied by Brand.

He struck one monstrous six and a series of elegant boundaries to ease Vale across the finish line and leave the team in a strong position in the table as they seek a third consecutive promotion.