WHEN you catch Nelson on one of their better days, as Todmorden did, the mystery deepens as to why such a capable team has spent most of this season languishing in the lower reaches of the table.

Tipped by many to be chief contenders for Rishton's crown, Nelson have been a real enigma with only the occasional variation such as Saturday's convincing success.

Not even long-serving skipper Michael Bradley can solve the puzzle.

"I wish I knew the answer," he admitted after a competitive all-round display that was simply too much for Todmorden, nearly men in the title race and always just off the pace in a game which epitomised their summer.

"But the fact is that we have played badly, struggled for runs all year and nothing seems to have gone right.

"We had an absolutely awful start when the batting let us down. It's a high standard in this league and having a good team on paper doesn't count for anything unless you do it on the field."

Having won the toss, Nelson were able to dictate in conditions which were a batsman's paradise.

A slick outfield and wicket which demanded a strict line and length from the bowlers was Heaven-sent for the runs-shy Nelson batsmen to get back in the groove. And, even though they again under-achieved to a degree, their total of 218 for eight always looked too many for Todmorden who were eventually dismissed for 162.

Bradley admitted: "Really, it was a 250 wicket but if you had asked before the start if we would have accepted the total we got, then we would have said yes.

"We knew we then had to keep it tight and make sure Todmorden didn't get off to a flier."

That's exactly what Nelson did, with some excellent bowling and even better fielding to cruise to victory.

The key passage in Nelson's innings was negotiated by professional Joe Scuderi and opener Duncan Spencer.

They put on 126 for the second wicket and treated us to a fine exhibition of attacking batting.

True, the bowling was more than generous and Todmorden were left to rue their failure to hold on to several catches.

But both Scuderi, who hit nine boundaries in his 76 from just 85 deliveries, and Spencer, nine fours and a six in his 86 which took 110 balls, showed excellent judgment.

They waited for the loose delivery, there were plenty of them, and punished it.

But the fact that such an accomplished player as Spencer was celebrating his first half century of the season says much about Nelson's problems this summer. You expect runs from Scuderi, as Bradley said: "That's the fourth or fifth time Joe has done it for us recently. He's been excellent." Scuderi then did the business with the ball, striking in the first over, and when Todmorden professional Daniel Marsh committed a serious error of judgment to go down the track to Jason Smith with the score 22, the contest was all but over.

Brian Heywood played a typically dogged innings of 58, including five boundaries from 101 balls, but it's not in his nature to lead a cavalier run chase.

Scuderi returned superb figures but Bradley was able to let his amateurs do the bulk of the work, backed up by some excellent fielding and catching.

Close to the end, one Todmorden fan sighed: "Ah well, it's been a nice day." Perhaps that's why they haven't mounted a serious title challenge - too many nice days not enough profitable ones.

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