RADCLIFFE went within a whisker of recording their second win of the season in the Central Lancashire League.

An unbeaten 41 from skipper Graeme Simpson helped give the attack something to aim at but despite a Stuart Kelley-inspired performance with the ball the side couldn't quite come up with the goods.

But while there was a vast improvement when Radcliffe were in the field - the number of extras conceded was a much more acceptable 14 - the batting seemed as fragile as ever and 118 for 8 off 48 overs more or less tells its own story. Richard Heaton and professional Steve Dearden were back in the pavilion with the total on 22 but the Radcliffe innings was boosted by a solid show from Damien Keegan who faced 94 deliveries on his way to 25 hard-fought runs before he was trapped leg before.

He and skipper Simpson moved the score on to 49 before they were parted and there was some further resistance from Craig Roscoe (11) and Nick Kennedy (14) but the cause wasn't helped by a couple of run outs and at the end of the 48 overs Simpson was still there on 41.

Radcliffe then had the fillip of an early breakthrough when Dearden bowled Wilcock on his second over and most of the home batsmen looked unsure of themselves.

But professional Baker kept his head while around were losing theirs and by the time he became one of Kelley's four victims the home side were up to 103 for 6.

It was tight, very tight, but an unbeaten 14 from Oddy just tipped the balance as Rochdale moved on from 112 for 8 to edge through with a boundary and one wicket still intact.

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