London Maccabi Vale celebrated their promotion to Chess Valley Division One in typically elegant fashion, strolling to a comfortable 75-run win over Wembley to round off their season in style.
September 3, 2017 21:26
The victory marked Vale's seventh win from nine league matches - an outstanding series of performances that have culminated in a fifth successive promotion for the club.
From the sixth tier of the league not long ago, Vale have showcased their ability and consistency to become the leading light of Jewish cricket in London, and will now ply their trade in the top division.
This year in particular has seen less of a reliance on one or two individuals and more of a focus on the team - with several players contributing match-winning knocks and a strong team spirit carrying the squad over the line.
Six different players scored more than 100 runs across the campaign and there were a total of eleven half-centuries struck.
Only two bowlers, Benjamin Lederman and Steven Allweis, managed to enter double figures of wickets taken, but there were impressive spells from a number of bowlers and several sublime catches along the way. It has been a true team effort.
Sunday's fixture away to Wembley emphasised those same messages. A superb opening partnership of 154 between Danny Caro and Adam Brand on a tricky wicket set the tone for a formidable total.
The Maccabiah pair were trading run for run - Caro beat Brand to his 50 by one ball, before, Brand departed for 68. But Caro continued to provide the foundations for Vale to launch forwards. He fell agonisingly short of a century, running himself out for 98 - but it was a defiant end to a season in which he combined playing and managerial duties for Team GB at the Maccabiah Games.
Vale posted 254 runs on the board, with additional contributions from Grant Reingold, Benjamin Lederman and Ben Kohler - and thanks to early wickets from Steven Allweis and Simeon Cohen, Wembley never threatened in their chase.
With promotion already secured, Vale employed nine different bowlers and there were wickets from the unlikely sources of Ben Kohler and Alex Haffner, along with three from the likely source of Benjamin Lederman.
The hosts were bowled out in the final over, finishing 75 runs short.
Vale's celebrations then started in earnest and the squad can look forward to a few more days in the sun next season.
SCORECARD
LMV BATTING
Danny Caro run out 98 (130 balls, 14x4s)
Adam Brand caught 68 (80 balls 9x4s)
Grant Reingold caught 20 (14 balls, 4x4)
Benjamin Lederman LBW 16 (18 balls, 3x4s)
Ben Kohler caught 10 (12 balls, 1x4s)
Neil Lederman run out 3 (4 balls)
Alex Haffner not out 2 (5 balls)
Adam Spooner not out 7 (7 balls)
DNB: Jonny Gould, Simeon Cohen, Steven Allweis
LMV BOWLING
Allweis 7-1-31-1
Cohen 10-2-36-2
B. Lederman 10-1-59-3
Brand 7-2-19-2
Kohler 2-1-1-1
Spooner 2-0-9-0
Haffner 2.1-1.6-0
Caro 1-1-0-0
N. Lederman 3-3-0-0