London Maccabi Vale 1st's Middlesex Sunday League Division One title hopes suffered a setback when they were beaten by UCS Old Boys.

LMV skipper Jon Galloway won the toss and made first use of a green Rowley Lane strip. Openers Danny Caro and Paul Durban took time to settle but they accelerated to good affect, putting on 120 for the first wicket.

Caro, who hit eight boundaries in his 68-ball 53 was dismissed leg before, leading to a collapse with Adam Brand, Jerome Colmans, Richard Black, Martin Schultz and Alex Gold falling in quick succession. Colmans was run out without facing while Black was also run out, trying to pinch a cheeky single.

 Having gone from 120-0 to 168-6 and it was left to Durban, who unbeaten 92 off 106 balls included 11 4s, and Galloway (31 not out) to steer LMV to 226-7. UCS bowler Ben Bloom suffered some harsh treatment from the openers.

Ryan Kangisser, Neil Lederman and Brand grabbed a wicket apiece, with a piece of quick thinking from wicketkeeper Colmans accounting for Adam Gishen, but LMV had no answer to UCS' big-hitting Australian opener who finished unbeaten on 134 as the visitors won with an nine balls to spare.

LMV's next match is against Stanmore with Belmont & Edgware and Bharat Olympians to follow.

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