Sussex Cricket League: Leaders Sidley return to winning ways
Sidley CC hit straight back after their first defeat of the season with a victory on home turf.
The Sussex Cricket League Division 10 East leaders made an instant return to winning ways following their 29-run loss to Ringmer seconds by overcoming Uckfield Anderida by four wickets.
Sidley restricted their opponents to 134-8 from their 40 overs after Uckfield won the toss and elected to bat at St Mary's Recreation Ground. That was despite Andrew Turner (20) and Harry Bodsworth (38) patiently sharing a half-century opening stand.
Abdullah Al Arif eventually made the breakthrough by bowling the former and wickets went down steadily thereafter, although James Cullingford made a useful 26.
Five of the seven bowlers used by Sidley picked up wickets, with Al Arif (2-20 from seven overs) and Saymur Rafi (2-5 from two overs) each claiming a couple.
Sidley lost leading run-scorer Johnathan Haffenden early in their reply, and although Chris Hunnisett (19), Abdul Sheikh (16), Al Arif (21) and Steve Ramsden (20) all got starts, there was much work still to be done at 88-6.
But Sabbir Ahmed (25 not out) and Craig Ramsden (21 not out) were up to the task, forging an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 47 to see Sidley over the winning line. Ayan Chakravartty (3-40) was Uckfield's most successful bowler.
The result keeps Sidley, whose matchball sponsor was Mark Foster, 37 points clear at the top of the standings with a third of the season remaining.
Sidley's second team, meanwhile, lost by 119 runs away to Robertsbridge fourths in Division 12 East (South East).
Fred Gregory (52) and Neil Honnor (37 not out) added 98 for the eighth wicket as Robertsbridge recovered from 113-7 to post 220-8 from their 40 overs after being asked to bat. Chris Sharp earlier made 47 at the top of the order for Robertsbridge, while Gopinath Sellappan took 3-30 for Sidley.
Visiting openers Peter Savage (21) and Tila Muhammad (45) put on 62 in reply, but no other batter scored more than seven as Sidley subsided to 101 all out in 25.1 overs. Noah Newman snapped up 5-33 and James Ling 3-23 for Robertsbridge. Sidley's matchball sponsor was Pebbles on the Beach.