The European Cricket Championships were once again a story of missed opportunities for the Israel National Cricket team. Whilst victories over Austria and France were thoroughly deserved and achieved through outstanding cricket, the defeats to Portugal and Gibraltar will be remembered as games that could so easily have had different conclusions. The defeat to Germany will be a game all of Israel's bowlers will want to erase from memory as quickly as possible.

A number of positives can be taken from the tour. As a squad, the players showed fight and determination. The spirit within the squad was at times quite extraordinary. The team's fielding was for the most part of a very high standard.

Captain Steven Shein acquitted himself well both on and off the field in his first tour as skipper. Whilst Shein ran proceedings on the field, star players Herschel Gutman and Isaac Massil were able to concentrate on their individual performances, and both enjoyed extremely successful tours with both bat and ball. Massil finished with an average of 44.75, having scored 179 runs, whilst Gutman was Israel's leading run scorer (and third in the tournament), scoring 182 runs at an average of 36.40. Gutman's contribution extended beyond just scoring runs and taking wickets. He added a new dimension to Israeli fielding standings and his competitive nature and fighting attitude was an inspiration to every member of the team. 15 year old Dani Hotz was the find of the tour, batting with confidence in each of his innings and fielding superbly. His performances will pave the way for more younger players to graduate from the youth development programme into the full national squad even sooner than was anticipated.

On a negative note, the top order batsman weren't able, apart from the opening game, to score the runs that would have been expected of them. The talented Yefet Nagavkar played well for the most part but was let down by his lack of fitness, Steve Leigh, who enjoyed excellent performances behind the stumps, will be disappointed with his batting, especially having made such a promising start to the tour with a fine innings of 32 against Portugal. Shein, who filled in as a makeshift number 3, played well against Austria but it was all downhill from there as he too failed to put together the type of innings required by a top order batsman.

The team suffered a major blow as opening batsman Mahendra Jaiswar broke his finger attempting a catch during the team practice having just arrived in Belfast, and was forced to sit out the entire tour.

Team doctor Dr Dan Kiesel, enjoying his second tour with the team, once again proved to be an invaluable member of the squad. With many players straining having to play 5 matches in just 6 days, Kiesel worked into the early hours of the morning helping players get fit and ready for action day after day. His immense cricket experience and caring and personal manner meant his effect on each and every squad member extended far beyond his treatment table.

Team manager Stanley Perlman once again ensured all team affairs, both prior to and during the tournament, were cared for efficiently and professionally. His contribution to the success of the team was no less than that of any of the players who performed on the field.

Portugal benefit from horrendous Israel fielding performance

No less than 5 dropped catches effectively cost Israel the opening match of the Championships, as they lost to Portugal by 89 runs. An opening stand of 162 for Portugal (that should have been broken before a run was even scored) set them up for a big score of 238. Gutman picked up 4/48 but Massil was the pick of the bowlers, taking 1/22 in 10. Despite a solid start to the Israeli reply as Leigh (32) and Nagavkar (12) added 43 for the first wicket, Israel was never able to mount a serious challenge to the Portuguese total. Massil scored 39* to bring some respectability to the Israel innings.

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Biggest ever international win achieved over Austria

Bouncing back from the Portuguese disappointment, a brilliant performance in all departments saw Israel cruise to victory by 132 runs over an admittedly very weak Austrian team. Having won the toss and chosen to bat, Nagavkar (23) and Shein (32) got the innings off to a good start, before Gutman (82) and Massil (67) played superbly to take Israel's total to 253/5 in their 50 overs. A brilliant opening spell of bowling from David Massil (4/17), aided by two excellent catches by debutant Dani Hotz soon had the Austrians in trouble and they were eventually dismissed for 117.

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German opener blasts a century as Israel suffers heavy defeat

Israel's 122 was never going to be enough to challenge the powerful German batting lineup, but the manner in which their victory was achieved would have surprised even the German's themselves. Earlier, only Gutman with 24 had played a decent knock for Israel, and only thanks to 40 extras given away by the Germans, and a 28-run last wicket stand between David Massil and Dani Hotz, did Israel manage to pass the 100 mark. The sizable crowd at the picturesque Armagh ground was then treated to an awesome batting display, as Aseem Butt scored 102*, hitting seven 6's in the process. His partner contributed just 6, as Germany completed a 10-wicket win.

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France completely outplayed as Israel turn on the magic at Fox Lodge

If Israel's performance against Austria was good, the one against France was simply magnificent. Batting first in wet conditions, the Gutman / Isaac Massil partnership once again provided the backbone to the Israel innings. The French bowlers simply had no answer to the clever and skillful batting of Massil (43) whilst Gutman, after a cautious start and batting with a runner having picked up a calf strain, played some memorable shots both sides of the wicket, before being run out for 75. David Massil (20*) and Hotz (18*) continued their efforts from the previous day as Israel completed their 44 overs (reduced due to a rain delayed start) with a score of 223/8. France can be commended on bringing a youthful team to the competition, but they simply had no answer to the fired up Israel bowlers. It was Jacky Divekar who made the early inroads with 3 wickets, and then Gutman (3/14), bowling at less than half pace, and Shein (3/4) cleaned up the middle and lower order as France were bundled out for just 91; Israel completing an emphatic 131 run victory, much to the delight of a herd of sheep grazing on the fields edge, who expressed their approval to each wicket grabbed by the Israelis!

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Batsman fail as Gibraltar dash dreams of third victory

Israel completed their final match of the Championships as they completed their first – thinking of what might have been. A solid performance in the field restricted Gibraltar to 167/8. Divekar was the pick of the bowlers, taking 2/24, and there were 2 wickets as well for Isaac Massil and Shein. The Israel reply began disastrously, as Leigh was run out attempting a suicidal third run. Shein and Nagavkar both fell cheaply, and although Adrian Vard (14) and Isaac Massil (24) added 46 for the 4th wicket, the scoring rate was too slow as the Gibraltan bowlers bowled a steady line and length. The lower order was left with too many runs to get in too few overs, and Israel were eventually all out for a tame 122, losing by 45 runs.

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