The weather was the only winner in London yesterday as the community’s cricket teams were left frustrated by a mid-afternoon downpour.

Bad weather ruined what was shaping up to be a fantastic performance by MAL in a friendly. Skipper Gav Lebens opted to bowl, with uncertainty as to the weather later in the day. The Eastcote pitch was an absolute cracker, hard and true, and offering nothing to bowlers of any style. Yoav Lebens and Tony Wise opened the bowling but soon found that any slight error of line or length was punished.

The openers Dunn and Talaphena both chanced their arm in forging a partnership of 57 in under 13 overs before Grant Traub picked up Dunn in his second over, LBW sweeping a straight ball, for a belligerent 35. Wise soon removed opposition skipper Bramble for 3,, thanks to an outstanding running tumbling catch from Yitzy Hill at deep square leg.

64-2 became 64-3 as Traub beat the inside of Talaphena's bat to bowl him for 22. Traub's slow left armers were strangling the Eastcote batsmen, as they struggled to get him away, whilst Avi Gelley bowled well at the other end with scant reward. two wickets fell in the first over after drinks as the Eastcote batsmen imploded against Traub, Moody and Matt both being bowled by the left armer for 6 and 0 respectively.

A brief revival came from Sahil and Harding who put on a partnership of 41, before Harding was well caught by Simon Levy at short fine leg off Gelley for 13. Sahil was next to go for 36, trapped LBW by Simon Levy, to leave Eastcote 124-7. A slippy ball meant that a few loose deliveries were bowled but Josh Begner was able to pick up two wickets, the first clean bowling Hobday for 8, and the second to a stunning catch by Adam Katten at cover from a full-blooded back foot drive.

The returning Yoav Lebens finished off the innings as Kishan skied a catch to brother Gav at short cover. 154 all out represented a fantastic effort by MAL in the field against a strong Eastcote team.

Keen to get out and attack the total, Mark Landau and Adam Katten took the reply to 3-0 after the first ball of the second over of the reply, before the heavens opened and the game was duly abandoned as a draw.

In an all-Jewish Middlesex League affair, BECC elected to field first.against London Maccabi Vale 2nd. Jared Lazar (4-1-10-0) and Warren Averbuch (6-0-16-0) started, bowling tightly in tandem. BECC captain Ashley Connick came on and bowled a very tight spell, shackling the Vale batsmen with a spell of 8-2-9-2

Vale opener Jeremy Harris batted sensibly, making 26, and Jeff Permutt played a wily innings of 19. Neil Myeroff bowled well for no reward, as did Stuart Davis, whilst Jonny Feigenbaum (3-0-15-1) removed Permutt thanks to a stunning catch from Averbuch. Jonathan Lederman was 23 not out when the rain which had been falling incessantly for 30 minutes finally became too much. Shortly afterwards, the downpour became torrential and no further play was possible.

In the NJCL, Leeds beat Bury & Whitefield by 39 runs.

On a bright afternoon the much maligned St Pauls pitch produced 375 runs. Leeds were put in and made the most of it by putting on 120-run opening partnership. The faster Bury tried to bowl the easier the ball sat up to be dispatched to the boundary. Daniel Goldsbrough played beautifully just failing to reach his century finishing on 91 not out. He was ably supported by Jonny Wineberg 29 and Clive Sullivan 43.

In reply, Bury were up with the seven an over asking rate and also put on a century opening stand. Zevi Saunders played shots all round the wicket and Dave ross also chipped in. At the half way stage Bury were four runs ahead of where Leeds were at the same point and were looking good.

However, the match turned in four Jonny Goldberg balls as he removed Dave Ross, caught at mid on for 36, and then caught and bowled Saunders for 73.

This took the wind out of Bury's sails as Uri Rosen was stumped for 0. No-one else reached double figures and Leeds ran out easy winners.

This week sees the start of the Njcl rep team matches against teams from the greater manchester amateur cricket league.

MIDDLESEX SUNDAY LEAGUE