London Maccabi Vale 1st XI opened their 2010 season with a comfortable 47-run victory at Rickmansworth CC.

Captain Adam Brand won the toss and elected to bat in the agreed 35-over game with LMV fielding a number of club debutants including Nigel Rothband, Simon Renshaw and Andy Landesberg. LMV were also delighted to welcome back Martin Schultz, who missed the majority of last season through injury.

On a very green and slow wicket, openers Richard Black and Jonathan Cantor set about getting the scoreboard ticking over early but in trying to force the pace Cantor was bowled early on.

Black was joined at the crease by Adam Brand in the 8th over and the two Maccabiah batsmen set upon building a solid platform with a mixture of big hitting whilst keeping the scoreboard turning over with clever singles.

Brand (66) hit nine 4's and two 6's before he was caught, bringing Rothband to the crease. Black and Brand’s partnership of 100 in 14 overs gave LMV the perfect platform to set a winnable target.

Black reached his 50 shortly after before falling for 60 looking to hit out.

Rothband continued to take the attack to the Rickmansworth bowlers hitting a fine 35 in quick time to leave a few overs for the remaining batsmen to see LMV over the 200 mark. Jon Galloway and some big legside hits from Elliot Coulton saw Rickmansworth set a target of 212 to win.

Saul Weitzman and Schultz opened the bowling and it was Schultz who broke through early removing the Rickmansworth opener in his second over. Schultz continued to bowl a fine spell and picked up another wicket before finishing with figures of 2-21 off his allotted seven overs.

Spin was brought into the attack to break up a good Rickmansworth partnership that had been building for 10 overs and it paid off immediately when Brand struck in his first over.

LMV were on top but with a small boundary on one side of the ground the game was no certainty. Landesberg bowled a strong spell of medium pace, taking 2-27, backed up by Coulton 2-7 as LMV mopped up the tail in light drizzle and fading light to win by 47 runs.

The 1st XI face a much harder prospect next Sunday as they take on Home counties Premier side Beaconsfield in the Conference Cup.

LMV 211 for 9 (35 overs) Brand 66, Black 60

Rickmansworth 164 all out (33 overs) Coulton 2 for 7

LMV won by 47 runs