Sidley off to storming start

AFTER all the various assorted pre-season problems, few would have envisaged a start to the Sussex Division Two season quite like this.

With few net sessions and precious little middle practice under their belts as a result of the adverse weather, in addition to the ongoing delay in the arrival of their overseas player the odds certainly weren't pointing to a crushing victory in the first completed match.

But a combination of tight bowling from Peter King and replacement overseas player Nasir Shafiq plus destructive batting from Jonathan Haffenden meant they hit the ground sprinting rather than running.

"Considering how much practice we had had, it went very well," said captain Scott Woodroffe. "Everything seemed to click into place and it was just a great way to start the season."

The performance in the field provided the platform for victory but the job still had to be finished off even against what Woodroffe described as "not one of the most hostile bowling attacks we've faced". And a "focussed" Haffenden did that with a scintillating unbeaten knock of 70. Woodroffe himself supplied a useful 28 at number three while Shafiq (47 not out) completed the job emphatically.

It was all started though by a tremendous run out which removed Heath opener Bunce for a duck which immediately lifted the spirits. The visitors, who were admittedly depleted to the extent that they had to call off the second team match between the two clubs, then settled down through Aussie Andy Grenville (45) and opener Hall (22).

But throughout the innings Sidley kept chipping away and collected wickets at important junctures, never allowing partnerships to build to a level which would cause concern.

Shafiq (2-23), who looks to be a more than handy first change bowler and a classy bat, dismissed numbers four and five relatively cheaply and a potentially momentum-shifting innings from Stuart Parr was cut short by another run out at 39.

King (4-68) mopped up batsmen seven to nine without significant concession but the final wicket, which would have yielded a maximum haul of 30 points, eluded them.

That thought was far from the front of their minds though when the Haffenden led top four knocked off the runs in a mere 28 overs. But it will only get tougher from here.