A MIXED weekend saw Walsden pick up maximum points against bottom of the table Radcliffe only to lose heavily in their derby match against Littleborough.
The weekend got off to a flying start with a 50 run victory over Radcliffe at Scott Street.
James Rawlinson was again the star of the show as he completed back to back centuries.
Never one to hang about, Rawlinson thumped 16 fours and launched
one ball out of the ground. By the time he was fourth man out he had scored 106 of the 194 runs Walsden had on the scoreboard at that stage.
Perhaps it was no coincidence that firmer wickets and sunshine brought the best out of Ashley Sbizzirri, the overseas amateur hitting his best score for some time, 34, while Jamie Shackleton hit two sixes in his 19 - the home side finishing with 252 for 7.
Rasika Priyadarshana had only contributed 11 with the bat and, despite removing opener Saiyed for 14, this wasn't to be his greatest in Walsden colours as his 15 overs cost 1 for 68.
Saiyed's departure set the stage for one of the strangest knocks seen at Scott Street for a while. Richard Farnworth came to the middle with the score on 22 and he was still there when the innings ended 183 runs later - having contributed just 12 himself.
Mark Hooson claimed the prize wicket of Radcliffe's professional Usman Tariq for 44 but the visitors proved stubborn batters, chipping away at their target on a good batting track.
It took the introduction of Elliot Gilford - the seventh bowler tried by skipper Chris Dewhirst - to get among the batters. His six overs sparked a tumble of wickets as he finished with the highly impressive figures of 5 for 31 - Radcliffe bowled out for 205.
WALSDEN 252 for seven
K. Garland c Farnworth b Smith11
J. Rawlinson b Tariq106
R. Priyadashana run out11
E. Gilford b Saiyed11
A. Sbizzirri c Pilejko b Saiyed34
J. Shackleton b Tariq19
S. Hanson c Smalley b Tariq2
M. Harlow not out13
Extras45
Bowling: M. Burns 5-0-26-0, S. Mahboob 5-0-40-1, M. Saiyed 20-2-87-2, V. Tariq 11-0-47-3.
RADCLIFFE 205
M. Saiyed c Gilford b Priyadashana 14
U. Tariq c Garland b Hooson44
R. Farnworth not out12
M. Smalley c Dewhirst b Harlow0
C. Berry b Dewhirst21
S. Mahboob lbw b Hooson22
M. Coates c Harlow b Gilford21
D. Pilejko c Priyadashana b Gilford34
M. Burns b Gilford9
G. Nicholson c Garland b Gilford1
P. Smith c and b Gilford3
Extras32
Bowling: R. Priyadashana 15-0-68-1, M. Harlow 7-1-19-1, J. Shackleton 2-0-13-0, M. Hooson 6-0-40-2, C. Dewhirst 3-0-22-1, D. Blake 3-0-10-0, E.
