By, Danny Caro
2 min read
ByDanny Caro, Danny Caro
The Walker Ground in Southgate is the setting for this year's Maccabi Cricket National Knockout Cup final featuring Belmont & Edgware 1st and London Maccabi Vale 2nd.
The clash pits together the Middlesex Sunday League rivals who came through their respective semi-finals in contrasting style.
BECC managed to defend a total of under 100 in a pulsating affair. A top-score of 47 from Oli Simons got them out of jail in the face of impressive bowling from South's Mike Filson and Daniel Paul. Excellent displays from left-arm seamer Stuart Davis and spinner Richie Wienburg sealed victory.
"We knew it would take something special to defend that total," recalled captain Ashley Connick. "Thanks to Stuart and Richie, we did it. They were backed up in the field by everyone.
"Oli had a great game too. No-one else got even close to timing the ball as consistently as he did. It was a fantastic recovery from a below-par score."
All-rounder Connick has returned from a trip in Sri Lanka to lead BECC out in the final. He was named man of the match in a previous final following a brutal innings against Newlands & Northwood several years ago.
Looking ahead to the match, BECC's Jonny Evans said: "We've got a lot of competition for places, with players returning from injury and holiday. However, we hope to have Stuart Davis, the destroyer of Manchester back, along with the windscreen wrecker Oli Simons. With Gideon Restan returning from injury, we hope to round off what has been a very enjoyable season with a trophy."
Looking at Vale, Evans said: They've played well to reach the final and have shown that they have dangerous performers in the previous rounds. However, we are confident that if we play to our potential, we'll take home the trophy."
LMV skipper Jonathan Lederman has identified "a new found confidence" throughout his team this season. Having missed out on promotion, Lederman is looking for a silver lining to the season.
Daniel Caplan was the star man in their three-wicket semi-final victory in the last round against MAL. Lederman said: "Our batsmen have scored more consistently than in any previous season, while the bowlers have also taking more wickets." However, he believes that there is room for improvement. "Fielding has not been quite up to the standard required."
To date, Nigel Rothband, Jeremy Harris and Caplan have impressed with the bat while Simon Renshaw, Jonathan Freedman and Andrew Greenwall Cohen have excelled with the ball. The father and son team of Jonathan and Benjamin Lederman have performed to a high level in the all-rounder capacity.
However, the team will be missing several regulars with David Freedman, Jonathan Freedman, Andrew Greenwall Cohen, Andy Landesberg, Aviel Schwarz, Harris and the Ledermans unavailable.
Lederman said: "We will have a mixed 1st and 2nd team for the final and are confident of doing well. We beat BECC quite easily in the league earlier in the season having had the first match abandoned when BECC were ahead on points. So we certainly won't be underestimating them. Adam Brand will captain LMV in Lederman's absence.
"BECC have performed well under Ashley Connick and I'm sure that he wants to finish his first season as captain with a trophy. They have a strong bowling and batting unit although we know that putting their batting under pressure is the way to reduce their effectiveness."