Tod go clear at top

Andrew Sutcliffe’s men had an 11-run success over Lowerhouse with the help of excellent performances from Kristian Garland and Matt Collins.

Tod were 45 for three at one stage, with South African ace Kelly Smuts (7) failing for the first time, but wicketkeeper Garland led the recovery with 53 from 94 balls.

Garland put on 79 for the fifth wicket with Ben Sutcliffe (35) and Elliott Gilford (22) and Freddie Priestley (17 no) helped lift the total to 179 for six.

Collins and Smuts reduced Lowerhouse to 25 for three, Smuts getting the prize scalp of pro Ockert Erasmus for four, but a fourth wicket stand of 115 between Dean Barlow (61) and Paddy Martin (50) put Lowerhouse in charge.

Todmorden showed their battling qualities by taking six wickets for 24 runs, with Collins (five for 26) to the fore.

They couldn’t claim the last wicket but showed again that they could be title contenders.

Pennine League champions Walsden followed up Saturday’s win at Saddleworth with an easy 141-run victory over Austerlands at Scott Street yesterday.

Jake Hooson hit 107 and shared in stands of 95 with Josh Gale (53), 84 with ex-skipper James Rawlinson (31) and 52 with pro Umesh Karunaratne (21) before Joe Gale plundered 30 off 18 balls.

A total of 279 for five over faced the visitors, who had a hopeless task at 51 for five with pro Shanuka Dulaj (23) among those to fall.

Number seven Craig Joy made a defiant 57 but the game petered out as Austerlands finished on 138 for seven.