A magnificent 158 from vice-captain Mark Landau steered MAL to their first victory of the season as they beat Knotty Green by 100 runs in a friendly.

On a sunny Bank Holiday Monday, MAL played their final warm up game before the start of their 2011 league campaign.

MAL won the toss and elected to bat, but were soon in a little trouble as Allweis was bowled in the second over for 0. 5-1 became 21-2 with Yoav Lebens nicking an excellent ball from Lewis, and being well held at slip for 4.

Landau was looking in good nick, and was joined by Chris Tomaszewski who showed some excellent timing of his own, particularly behind square on the off-side. The pair put on an enterprising stand of 164 until Tomaszewski was run out for 64 (63 balls, 9x4, 2x6) in the 29th over.

Baddiel replaced him and was quickly into his stride, hitting two boundaries in his first five balls. Landau went through to his hundred with a big six over square leg, and then really upped the scoring rate. The partnership garnered 122 in 10.4 overs, Landau bringing up his 150 in the 40th over, before perishing off the final ball trying to hit another maximum.

His innings spanned 100 balls and contained 22 fours and five sixes. Baddiel raced along to an unbeaten 46 from just 33 balls.

Given that 280 had nearly been chased down on the same pitch the previous day, the total, whilst imposing, was not an impossible target. Some very tight bowling early on from Yoni Schurder and Mike Klinger made a successful chase very unlikely.

Schurder was outstanding, swinging the ball at decent pace and getting good carry, with Klinger bowling a nagging line up the hill. Schurder was soon into the wickets, picking up the first four during a seven-over spell. Williams was the first to go, nicking behind to the tidy Simon Levy for 10.

Kumar managed to get a couple of boundaries away, but was next to go, a big inswinger from Schurder crashing into his stumps. Helps edged Schurder to Yoav Lebens in the gulley for 1, and Sutcliffe was bowled for 3.

With Knotty Green 51-4 in the 13th over, any chance they may have had of going for the runs was seemingly gone, and skipper Landau rang the bowling changes. Traub was his usual excellent, miserly self, settling easily into a good rhythm, and Yoav Lebens was extremely unlucky to only pick up two wickets in a hostile seven-over spell, that saw a number of chances go begging.

Yitzy Hill showed some promise in a five-over spell, and Leslie Allweis picked up a wicket, Schurder holding on to a decent catch at deep square leg.

Josh Begner, fresh from a morning flight home from Israel, showed good energy, and picked up the deserved wicket of Crowther. Opening batsman Hill was closing in on a century though he was running out of partners.

Traub returned and removed Doyle, before Begner got Hill for 97, Klinger holding onto a smart catch at mid-wicket.

All in all, an outstanding performance that should stand MAL in good stead for the league season ahead.

MAL 307-4 (40 overs) Landau 150, Tomaszewski 64, Baddiel 46*

Knotty Green CC 207 (37.5 overs) Hill 97, Schurder 4-20, Begner 2-15, Y Lebens 2-49

MAL won by 100 runs