Maccabi cricket on the rise

AFTER seasons of dismay, the Maccabi Cricket Club is on the verge of a new generation of success.

In recent times, the club has struggled to attract players and has often anchored the league tables, but two teams this year have turned that around.

Maccabi NSW executive director Mick Vasin has been running the cricket club for more than five years, and believes years of effort are finally paying off.

“I’m really happy to see the teams doing so well, and I can’t wait for these kids to keep improving,” he said. “A couple of years of paid coaching is really paying for itself because the quality of cricket has improved and hopefully that will continue.

“Even though the club is small with only four teams, we hope to grow in the next couple of years and it’s particularly pleasing that our under-8 team, which has struggled all year, won their last two games.”

The under-11 team is in fifth position with two games remaining, and still has a slim chance of reaching the finals, while the Under-10 Black team has improved from ninth last season to seventh this year.

Under-10 Black coach Glen Greenberg said it’s really exciting to see the kids lifting their game.

“We’ve had a particularly good year this year, although we will miss the finals because only four teams out of 17 teams go to the finals,” Greenberg said.

The under-10 side has been playing together for three years. “We have a really good bunch of kids and a strong team, but it’s hard because a lot of kids play soccer and now there is indoor soccer during the cricket season,” he said.

“I played cricket for Maccabi and luckily my son loves it as well.

“They play 25 overs per innings at the moment, but as they get older the games get longer and it’s hard to keep the players.”

Greenberg said while the success is great and inspires the kids to strive to play better, it’s really just about having a go.

“All I care about really is that the kids enjoy playing cricket win, lose or draw.”

JOSHUA LEVI

Sport

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