They arrived at Towncroft on Sunday to discover that no wicket had been prepared for the match. It was suggested that the pitch cut for the previous day's second team match could be pressed into action.

However, no repair work had been done to the bowlers footholds and the umpires ruled that it was not fit for play, calling off the match instead.

They will now report the situation to the league.

Walsden, who are in the running for the subsidiary and combined competitions, are to write to the league asking for the points to be awarded to them,.

"We are taking the view that not having a pitch prepared is tantamount to failing to fulfil the fixture and in those circumstances we would have been awarded the points," club official Allan Stuttard said.

"Middleton captain John Punchard was very apologetic about things, but there was no way that the game could have gone ahead on the old wicket.

"It is a very surprising set of circumstance - especially as Middleton is usually one of the best organised clubs - but we will just have to see what the league management committee decides."

It was the second act in a frustrating weekend for Walsden who had seen their chances of victory at Radcliffe the previous day snatched from them by rain.

Radcliffe batted first and looked as if they were going to post a huge score as Usman Tariq, 83, and Richard Farnworth, 26, hammered Matt Thomson and Stevie Barker out of the attack.

A run out finally broke the partnership and Walsden found a hero with the ball in the shape of Nick Barker (pictured left).

He and Janake Gunaratne wheeled away with some success as Radcliffe's middle order failed to support their professional fully.

Barker, who is becoming a growing force as a bowler, ended with 5 for 61 as the home side were restricted to 209 for 9.

Chris Dewhirst finally ended Tariq's stay in the middle when he collected a return catch - one of three victims on the day.

Tariq was not finished though as he removed James Rawlinson, Thomson and Ross Ridout cheaply.

With Gorsi accounting for Elliot Gilford and Stuart Hanson things looked shaky for a while. However, professional Gunaratne is having a good run in to the end of the season and he took on the dominant role.

With the Sri Lankan unbeaten on 83 and David Blake joining him in the middle Walsden were confident that they could conjure up the necessary runs, only for the rain to fall.

By the time it stopped and the square had been dried out there was not enough time to get the overs in, the game ending in a tame draw.