WALSDEN'S hopes of retaining the second team title were dealt a blow as they lost to their nearest rivals Middleton on Sunday.
Walsden looked as they had done the hard work when they dismissed the visitors - who had been 128 for 3 - for 146.
Kris Buckley was caught and bowled by Mark Buckley but Paul Marrow and Andrew Butcher put on 20 runs before Marrow played on to a de
livery that nipped away from him.
Ian Marshall was bowled second ball and Mark Halstead quickly followed, exposing an inexperienced tail due to holidays and first team calls. Butcher picked up the pace but then chased a wide delivery off Buckley and was caught by the wicketkeeper.
Three wickets fell with the score on 52 and it was all over bar the shouting as Middleton's Hughes ended with eight wickets – six clean bowled.
- BRIDGEHOLME stay top of the Halifax League second division despite seeing their game at Greetland abandoned.
Batting first in difficult conditions Bridgeholme reached 158 thanks largely to yet another fine knock from the in-form Mohammed Basharat.
He hit 71 of the team's 158 with only Keith Hudson, 28, and Tariq Butt, 17, really chipping in from the other batters.
In reply Greetland were 108 for 4 after 30 overs when rain ended the day – opener Britton scoring 60 before becoming one of Ditta's four victims.
The full article contains 241 words and appears in Todmorden News newspaper.
