DANIEL Marsh will be returning to Centre Vale for a second stint as Todmorden professional next summer.

But he will be playing under a new captain following Richard Baigent's decision to retire from the game.

Marsh, son of legendary Australian wicketkeeper Rodney, enjoyed a prolific first season in the Lancashire League in 1996 when he scored over 1,000 runs at an average of 58 and took 68 wickets with his slow left-arm spin at a cost of around 15 each.

The return of Marsh, who now plays Sheffield Shield cricket for Tasmania, is good news for Todmorden who were looking for an all-rounder to replace record-breaking batsman Brendan Nash after finishing eighth in the league last season.

"He knows us and we know him and he will also be more experienced than the last time he was with us, so we are expecting great things," said chairman Malcolm Heywood.

"He always said when he left that he wanted to come back for a second year at some point, but he has never been fit enough to play Sheffield Shield and then come over here. He's had knee trouble but that is now cured.

"Brendan did a wonderful job but we had to have some variety in a our bowling. We don't have a spinner and we had to address that problem."

Nash's total of 1,200 league runs last season was a club record.

And Todmorden, yet to decide on a new skipper, will also have to replace the record amateur aggregate of 875 runs piled up by Baigent, who is calling it a day after three years at the club and the last two as captain.

"I have had a good run at it," said the former Somerset batsman.

"There's too much cricket and I'd just had enough. I struggled to get myself up for it."

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