Sussex Cricket League: Sidley extend lead after winning last-ball thriller
Sidley CC extended their lead at the top of the table by winning a last-ball thriller on Saturday.
A boundary off the final delivery by last man Alex Povey gave Sidley a nail-biting one-wicket victory away to Buxted Park thirds.
The result stretched Sidley's advantage at the Sussex League Division 10 East summit to 52 points with five matches remaining.
Chasing a target of 151 at Maresfield Recreation Ground, Sidley went into the last over of their reply requiring two runs to win but with only one wicket intact.
Saymur Rafi (14 not out off 11 balls) scored a single off the first ball to bring the scores level. The next four deliveries were all dots, meaning Sidley needed a single off the final ball. And Povey, who hadn't scored off his first six deliveries, got the job done in style with a four to seal Sidley's 11th victory in 13 league encounters this season.
Sidley had made a solid start to their run chase thanks to openers Peter Savage (11) and Hussain Ahmed (30 off 30 balls) - until both fell with the score 47. The visitors then subsided to 84-6 before Craig Ramsden (31) and Josh Bull (25) got things back on track with an important seventh-wicket partnership of 41.
Sidley's ninth wicket went down with seven still needed, but Rafi and Povey got them over the line as they took a big step towards securing back-to-back promotions.
Such a dramatic conclusion would have seemed somewhat unlikely early in the afternoon as Sidley reduced Buxted Park to 37-6 after winning the toss and choosing to field.
Steve Ramsden (3-15 from nine overs) and Sabbir Ahmed (2-30) did much of the initial damage, but the hosts recovered well to post 150 all out in 37 overs. Johnathan Haffenden (3-22) claimed the final three Buxted Park wickets, the last of which was that of topscorer Josh Coleman (46).
Sidley's second team triumphed by 49 runs in a low-scoring Division 12 East (South East) contest at home to Robertsbridge fourths.
Tila Muhammad top-scored with 39 at the top of the order as Sidley were all out for 115 having been asked to take first knock. Ian Hirst picked up 3-11 for a Robertsbridge side who had beaten Sidley by 119 runs in the previous weekend's reverse fixture.
Sidley proceeded to dismiss Robertsbridge for 66 in reply, with James Mott bagging 4-20, Reace Rushton 2-5 and Gopinath Sellappan 2-9.