MAL secured the Barratts Maccabi Sunday League title with a three-wicket victory over Chigwell.
The evergreen Charlie Sherrard removed both Chigwell openers in his first spell. The first was caught at first slip by Yoav Lebens before he bowled Murray for 17. Brad Ormsby began to look dangerous with a few well-struck boundaries. However, with the field set back, he fell into the trap and was caught by Grant Traub for 25 off Yoni Schurder's bowling.
Wickets continued to fall steadily thanks to a burst of four in four overs from Schurder who ended with 4-30 in his eight-over spell including an excellent caught and bowled. Some late hitting from Paul Salador (22) and Lloyd Duddridge with 31 saw Chigwell get up to 140.
Yoav Lebens and Josh Begner, with two wickets each, cleaned up the tail as Chigwell were dismissed in the 26th over.
MAL overcame the loss of an early wicket with Brad Sacher and Yoav Lebens putting them back on course with a stand of 60 at better than a run-a-ball. Lebens hit 40 with an array of shots including a huge six over long-off before being caught on the boundary with the score on 74.
A quickfire 35 from Charlie Sherrard kept MAL on track until four wickets fell in quick succession, leaving them needing 20 runs with only three wickets in hand.
Murray and Salador both put in fine spells to leave the game in the balance. However, it was not enough as 15 from Traub, ably supported by Max Sherrard, took MAL to their target with 12 overs and three wickets to spare.
Having won the Twenty20 competition two weeks ago, MAL are now going in search of the treble when they compete in the playoffs in August.
This has been a fine season so far for MAL who only 18 months ago were holding crisis meetings to decide whether to amalgamate or go out of existence. Their success, under the leadership of Gavriel Lebens and vice-captain Mark Landau, has been based on a combination of experienced players and a group of younger players who have all shown tremendous loyalty to the club.
An unbeaten 145 off 88 balls from Adam Brand eased London Maccabi Vale 1st to an eight-wicket victory in a friendly against Finchley.
Chasing 246, LMV recovered from the loss of a wicket two balls into their innings with Brand and the in-form Paul Durban putting on 229 for the second wicket. LMV won with 14 overs to spare.
LMV 2nd suffered their second one-wicket defeat of the Middlesex Sunday League Division Two campaign when they were edged out by Southall.
They almost turned what looked like being a thrashing into an unlikely win. From the depths of 5-3 and 97-6, they made a respectable 167 thanks to 67 from Simon Sattin.
Southall set off in hot pursuit and at 78-1 after just 16 overs seemed to be cruising to victory. However, Jeff Permutt bamboozled the visitors with a spell of 4-22 from eight overs. David Freedman, Jonathan Lederman and Andrew Greenwall Cohen took further wickets to set up a thrilling finish but the final pair saw Southall home.
