Maccabi faces tough task
MACCABI AJAX’s First XI conceded another big score at the weekend as poor bowling and a small ground helped South Yarra to 9-196 at the end of the day’s play.
MACCABI AJAX’s First XI conceded another big score at the weekend as poor bowling and a small ground helped South Yarra to 9-196 at the end of the day’s play.
Maccabi AJAX skipper Julien Wiener won the toss and elected to bowl on a damp pitch, hoping to make use of the moisture in the surface.
But it was the home side that got off to a strong start, taking full toll of the wayward visiting quicks to cart boundaries to all parts of the tiny Como Park ground.
Spinner David Majtlis celebrated his return to the club with the opening breakthrough that ended a 62-run stand, before David Fayman’s hard work was rewarded when he got the second.
Majtlis then claimed another scalp to have South Yarra 3-96 and his own team right back in the game.
As another partnership began to build, Fayman struck again to take a further two wickets and sway the match in Maccabi’s favour.
But with rain and bad light forcing the teams from the ground, the Firsts missed out on the opportunity to take the final wicket, with the home side on at 9-196 at stumps.
The Second XI is in deep trouble after the first day of its match against the Indigos, needing a modern-day Chanukah miracle to turn the match around.
The Seconds were reeling at 8-58, before Ross Sandler and Paul Litinsky shared their second late-innings revival in as many matches.
The pair frustrated the visiting bowlers, adding some much-needed respectability to the scorecard, before the last two wickets fell with the score on 87.
Despite bowling and fielding tightly, Maccabi couldn’t take enough wickets to put any pressure on the Indigos batsmen, who finished the day at 2-72.
The Third XI elected to bowl in its match against Burnley CYMS and did well to dismiss the home side for 109, with Nadav Greenberger instrumental, taking five sharp wickets.
However, in reply the Thirds batsmen collapsed to be 6-37 at stumps with plenty of work still to do.
The Silver Arc Fourth XI severely struggled in its big loss to Thornbury Turf Strokers, crumbling to just 37 with the bat.
Bowlers Adam Klein (4-4) and Eli Paneth (3-14) were the pick of the bunch.
Simon Morawetz
Photo: Peter Haskin
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