Requiring 30 runs to win off the last five overs, LMV were indebted to the big-hitting exploits of Rafi Saville as he guided them to a nail-biting triumph thanks to a blistering cameo. Saville's unbeaten 20 off just 13 balls secured the victory with an over to spare, and backed up earlier good work with the bat by Benjamin Lederman (61) and by Vale's impressive bowling unit.
Having suffered defeat in their first match of the Chess Valley League Division One campaign away to Brondesbury, Vale returned to their Rowley Lane fortress and were excellent as they bowled first against UCS Old Boys.
Steven Allweis and Rayno Greenwall-Cohen set the tone from the outset, with the pair both delivering outstanding opening spells that reduced the visitors to 18-2 off 13 overs.
There was no let up in pressure as Jonny Gould and Neil Lederman entered the attack, with all four bowlers used at that stage taking wickets to leave UCS Old Boys stuttering on 47-4 at the halfway stage of their innings.
Two run-outs firmly established Vale's authority, but the inevitable fightback from the visitors happened as they dug themselves out of a 75-7 shaped hole. With some powerful hitting late on, UCS Old Boys closed on 141-7 from their allotted 45 overs - a decent comeback, but one which nevertheless left Vale in a dominant position.
More than 25 per cent of Vale's overs had been maidens, such was the unrelenting accuracy of the LMV attack, and the home side would have backed themselves to knock off the total in relative comfort.
The chase, however, did not pan out entirely as planned. An early hamstring injury to opener Danny Caro, who had kept wicket, affected the side's momentum as he retired injured, whilst a mid-innings collapse saw Vale slump to 70-4. Holding the side together at one end was Benjamin Lederman, who played with a rarely-seen maturity as he curbed his natural aggression to inch Vale closer to the finishing line.
When he was dismissed in the final few overs, the tension ramped up - and with the required run rate rising, Vale needed a saviour.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Rafi Saville strode to the crease and swung the game in LMV's favour by striking two fours and one six to close out the match. LMV captain Neil Lederman was unbeaten on 11, with Saville hitting 20 not out as Vale scraped home with six balls and four wickets remaining.
From a position of authority at the interval, the team had made life more nerve-wracking than needed - but Vale showed their character to seal the win and get their CVL campaign off the ground.
MATCH SCORECARD
UCS 141-7 (45 overs)
London Maccabi Vale bowling
Steven Allweis 9-4-26-1
Rayno Greenwall Cohen 6-2-9-1
Jonny Gould 8-0-32-1
Neil Lederman 7-1-23-2
Dylan Heller 4-0-14-0
Benjamin Lederman 8-5-14-0
Rafi Saville 3-0-17-0
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London Maccabi Vale batting (146-6, 44 overs)
Danny Caro 16 bowled (2x4)
Sam Clarfield 10 bowled (1x4)
Adam Spooner 10 caught (2x4)
Benjamin Lederman 61 bowled (7x4)
Hilton Nathanson 8 caught
Jonny Gould 1 caught
Neil Lederman 11 not out
Rafi Saville 20 not out (2x4, 1x6)
DNB
Steven Allweis
Rayno Greenwall Cohen
Dylan Heller
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CRICKET SCOREBOARD
FRIENDLY MATCHES
Peshwa CC 169-9
Belmont & Edgware166-2 Jonny Evans 74 not out, Adam Jacobs 39 not out
BECC won by 8 wickets
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London Maccabi Vale 2nd 107 Dan Talisman 26
Batchwood 93 Adam Morris 4-14, Leo Weiniger 3-27)
LMV won by 14 runs
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COLTS
UNDER-15 MATCH
Old Elizabethans 60 Leo Weineger 4-10, Joseph Sweiry 2-4, Sam Feigenbaum 2-8
London Maccabi Vale 63-6 Joseph Davidson 20 not out
LMV won by 4 wickets
