Netanya will meet Lions Lod in the 2002 ICA League final, after they beat Tel Aviv by 5 wickets in their semi final clash at Hadar Yosef on Friday. The game was an extremely tense and competitive affair, as a depleted Tel Aviv lineup produced an inspired fightback with the ball having failed miserably with the bat.
Having won the toss and decided to bat, Tel Aviv openers Steve Leigh (15) and Dani Malyankar (6) got off to a respectable start, adding 32 for the 1st wicket. The turning point of the game was the introduction of slow bowler Adrian Vard into the attack. In a dramatic first over he dismissed both openers, a double blow from which Tel Aviv never fully recovered. Stanley Perlman, after a shaky start, began to play confidently, sending Netanya debutante Moishe Nissbaum sailing into the Hadar Yosef stands with two towering pulls for six, and a mighty square cut for 4, all in his first over which cost 21 runs, but when he was out, caught at point off Steven Shein for 20, Tel Aviv were in serious trouble. Vard and Shein, bowling in tandem, brought the scoring rate to a complete standstill, and as the pressure mounted, so the wickets continued to tumble. Vard returned the remarkable figures of 4 for 19, with Shein bowling his seven overs for just 9 runs, picking up 2 wickets, as Tel Aviv were all out for 97.
Cricket is known as a "funny game", meaning extraordinary things are known to happen. The Netanya batsman, who may have been expecting to achieve their small victory target with little fuss, were soon witness to this statement come true in front of their eyes, and, for Netanya fans, there was nothing funny about the proceedings. Both opening batsman were out without scoring, and when David Silver was run out for 3, Tel Aviv were right back in the game. Worse was to come as Dani Hotz was adjudged LBW for 8, making the score 19 for 4, and that became 38 for 5 when Rafi Zauer (10) was stumped by Leigh off Avner Greenberg. The dramatic game then began tilting back in Netanya's favour, as Vard and Solly Bergman used all their experience, and a small bit of good fortune, in slowly steering their team out of trouble. Despite the early hiccups, victory was achieved with Bergman not out on 28, and Vard, stalwart of the Netanya team for many years, completing a dream game, finishing not out 24.
© Israel Cricket Association
