ByDanny Caro, Danny Caro
MAL continued their preparations for the 2011 season with a defeat against a strong Wooburn Narkovians side.
MAL won the toss and opted to bat on a pitch that, whilst looking flat, had already been used once during the weekend.
Some excellent early bowling restricted the scoring, and Christian Tomaszewski's was the first wicket to fall with the score on 19 in the seventh over, playing on to an inswinger from Paine.
Yoav Lebens, a centurion in the first match of the season, was bowled by an excellent yorker from the impressive Ben Barker for 1, and 22-2 became 25-3 in Barker's next over, as Andy Hillel was adjudged caught behind for 0.
With the score 25-3 after 10 overs, and the ball starting to keep a little low, a partnership was a necessity, and Mark Landau and Grant Pakter delivered just that, putting on 116 in 21 overs, with some superb running between the wickets and some enterprising shots.
Pakter impressed in his first game in a number of years, just beating Landau to 50, eventually going on to 69 off 61 balls (1x6, 7x4). Landau continued past his own 50, and increased his personal run rate, finally perishing for 88 from 105 balls (2x6, 5x4) in the 38th over with the score on 187.
Three wickets fell in the last two overs as MAL looked to get up to 200, falling just short as the innings closed on 196-8.
Skipper Gav Lebens urged his bowlers to bowl wicket to wicket with the pitch keeping a little low. With little movement on offer it was important to keep to lines and lengths.
Yoav Lebens and Andy Hillel kept things relatively tight initially. Lebens picked up the first wicket in the seventh over, a simple caught and bowled chance off Ben Barker. The second wicket was taken by Tomaszewski in the 10th over, bowling the elder Barker with one that kept a little low.
That was to be the last success MAL would have for the next 98 runs as some good batting, and too many freebies saw Rogers and Plasco put on an excellent partnership, before Plasco was bowled by Gav Lebens for 32.
Overseas pro Winchester came to the crease and crashed 24 in no time, before retiring.
Rogers went through to a well made hundred, and he and young skipper Hall took Wooburn home with more than eight overs to spare.
Once more a less than perfect performance and one that must be improved upon for the league season ahead.
MAL 196-8 (40 overs) Landau 88, Pakter 69
Wooburn Narkovians 197-3 (31.1 overs)
MAL lost by 7 wickets