ByAnonymous, Anonymous
Double winners MAL picked up a solid victory away at Old Parkonians on Sunday.
Having won the toss, MAL skipper Gav Lebens chose to bat first. The Old Parkonians opening bowlers started well, bowling good lines and lengths, and guest Ben Lederman was quickly dismissed, bowled by Ibrahim for 0.
Khurram Manzoor joined Mark Landau and the pair were watchful in a partnership of 64, running well between the wickets, with Mark in particular severe on any error in line or length.
Khurram worked his way to 20 before a good piece of off spin bowling from Thorpe saw him bowled.
Kev Venter also offered good support to Landau, with the partnership adding 64 in 10 overs until Venter played across the line and was caught for 25 off Dutch. Landau had gone through to his 50 and was eight runs short of the 90 that he needed to reach 1,000 for the season for MAL when the same bowler slipped one through his defences to bowl him for 82 (14 x 4, 91 balls).
Sam Hillel struck a couple of impressive boundaries before attempting to clear the deep mid-wicket and falling short. Michael Klinger and guest player Jon Lederman came together with the score on 163 with six overs to go, and put on an enterprising partnership of 40.
Lederman was stumped off the bowling of Ibrahim in the final over, and was followed by two further wickets in the same over.
Gav Lebens was well held, and Michael Klinger was run out going for a second that would have given him his highest score for MAL.
The total of 208 looked a decent one, even though Old Parkonians insisted that 250 was closer to a par score.
Marc Mer and Sam Hillel opened the bowling and were a little unlucky not to pick up a couple of wickets.
Landau spilled a relatively simple chance at slip off Hillel and two other chances went close but not quite to hand. Khan and Solomonides put on a partnership of 50, then a change of bowling brought a first wicket, Michael Klinger having Khan well held at point by Joel Newman for 11.
Solomonides came down the wicket at Jon Lederman, who pulled his length back and had the opener caught at cover by Kevin Venter for 43.
Premadasan was caught and bowled by Klinger, the medium pacer holding on a very good low catch. Foley's was the next wicket to go, bowled by Klinger for 9, before Ben Lederman's pace proved too much for Berlin, bowled for 0.
Bouquet nicked the same bowler to Kevin Venter at second slip, who held on to a smart chance. Meanwhile, Ibrahim was playing aggressively and impressively, but wickets continued to fall around him, Mukesh bowled for 0 by Ben Lederman, Thorpe falling to Gav Lebens, Klinger holding onto a steepling catch at long-on, and Akbar bowled by Gav Lebens.
An enterprising stand of 29 between Ibrahim and Prakash took the former through to his half century and gave the Old Parkonians innings some respectability but Lebens induced an outside edge from Prakash, which was snaffled by Simon Levy, ending their innings on 152 and leaving Ibrahim 50 not out.
An excellent performance from MAL (plus guests!) in very pleasant end of September weather.
Friendly
MAL 208 (40 overs) Mark Landau 82, Dutch 4-48
Old Parkonians CC 152 (37.4 overs) Ibrahim 50*, Solomonides 43, Michael Klinger 3-17, Gav Lebens 3-24, Ben Lederman 3-25
MAL won by 56 runs