Saturday, May 22nd: Eastbourne 4th XI v. Sidley 1st XI

EASTBOURNE 4th XI:  130-9  (9pts)

SIDLEY 1st XI:  131-7  (28pts)                 (Chris Hunnisett 40 n.o.)

SIDLEY Cricket Club's first team made it three wins out of three with a narrow three-wicket victory away to Eastbourne fourths on Saturday. But as in the previous weekend's triumph at home to Battle seconds, Sidley were certainly made to work for their success in a 1st Central Sussex Cricket League Division 11 East (South) game which could have gone either way.

Things were going to plan for the visitors when, after winning the toss and choosing to field at a grey and chilly Saffrons, they restricted Eastbourne to 130-9 from their 40 overs. It was an innings where wickets fell in clusters. Adam Blackburn (23) and Eastbourne captain Paul Elphick (20) shared a half-century opening partnership, only for three wickets to go down with the score on 56 and another to fall just two runs later. Intazar Bashir (23) and Isaac Bashir (21) swiftly put on 34 for the fifth wicket before the hosts slid from 92-4 to 104-9, wickets seven, eight and nine falling without a run being added to the total.

But prodigious young talent Aaron Bashir (19 not out) and the not-so-young Malcolm Latham batted out the final 11 overs in an unbroken last-wicket stand of 26.

Hollie Young (3-23), Cavan O'Connor (3-31), Steve Ramsden (2-20) and Craig Ramsden (1-29) were Sidley's wicket-takers, while Amie Anderson conceded just 16 runs from her eight overs.

Young also held a fine catch at long-off to dismiss the dangerous Isaac Bashir and wicketkeeper Paul Johnson effected a couple of sharp stumpings, the first of them to claim the important wicket of Blackburn.

Sidley slumped to 15-3 and 30-4 in reply as the pace of Isaac Bashir (4-32) accounted for all of the top four, with only Young (10) reaching double figures. But Chris Hunnisett and Steve Ramsden (29) steadied the ship by adding 36 for the fifth wicket, and Craig Ramsden later blasted a quick 22 before becoming Blackburn's third victim when he holed out to long-on. The match was still in the balance at 101-7, yet Hunnisett steered Sidley home with a steady unbeaten 40, well supported by Anderson at the other end.

Sidley's matchball sponsor was Ross Settles.

* Sidley's second team match at home to Westfield seconds in Division 12 East (South) was abandoned due to rain with just two balls bowled.