RADCLIFFE simply had no answer to the form of Walsden paid man Shaun Marsh and the weather, as they emerged from the weekend with just two from a possible ten points.

"The rain stopped just at the wrong time," said Radcliffe skipper Graeme Simpson looking back at Saturday's abandoned game with Rochdale at Redbrook.

"The pitch was alright but the surroundings were wet through, they wanted to play on an unfit wicket and we didn't and that was that.

"We had to start by 4.15pm and we couldn't so it was abandoned. By 4.30pm it had cleared up but it was too late. Still that's cricket."

As for Sunday's defeat he remained in belligerent mood: "Their pro batted well and bowled alright, although I'd like to have played him on a proper wicket, but it was again very wet and green which doesn't particularly suit our style of play.

"However, we didn't apply ourselves on the day so we've no real excuse, the way we batted we didn't deserve to win, although we didn't give up in the field and got them down to six out.

"If we'd got the pro out - and he'd given us a couple of good chances early on - I think we'd have won because he was the difference, he's a nice batter and he got half their total, apart from him they didn't have much."

At home to fourth-placed Walsden on Sunday, Radcliffe came up against the in-form bowling of Shaun Marsh and Mark Hooson, with only four batsmen managing to get into double figures, led as always but the indomitable Bruce Cruse.

He opened with Phil Hayes, who was quickly adjudged LBW off a Hooson delivery for just two.

The Aussie was then joined at the crease by pro Pasan Wanansinghe, and together they put on 69 before the Sri Lankan became Hooson's second victim, bowled for 28.

With Hooson then claiming Radcliffe skipper Graeme Simpson (LBW) for a duck, the home side found themselves three wickets down for just 82.

Gorsi and Cruse threatened to re-ignite the Radcliffe run rate, but then Cruse was finally claimed by fellow Aussie Marsh (caught and bowled) for a top score of 39, and with him went Radcliffe's's hopes of setting their opponents a substantial target.

McLean had a late flurry hitting 10 not out, but it was too little, too late as the Racecoursemen finished on a beatable 134 all out with one ball remaining.

Twenty-year-old West Australian Marsh emerged with an impressive 5-24, ably assisted by Hooson, who scooped 5-58.

There was brief hope for Radcliffe as the visitors' run chase got off to a stuttering start, with opener Barker out for a duck, bowled by Hayes.

But that merely meant that Marsh arrived at the crease, and the left-hander went on to hit a topscore of 71 not out to guide Walsden to five points.

The highlight of the innings was his fifth wicket stand of 98 with Rowlinson which took Walsden to 132.

The visitors finished on 136-6 with 10.4 overs to spare, despite the best efforts of Hayes (3-18) Wanansinghe (2-24) and Cheetham (1-24).

Like the first eleven, the seconds' Saturday home fixture with Rochdale was abandoned due to rain, and again like the first team they went down to Walsden on Sunday. Radcliffe were 111 all out, Walsden romping to victory with 113-1.