HCPL Division Two East Potters Bar 318-8 (60.0) Harpenden 280-6 (66.0) HARPENDEN batted well to claim a draw at Division Two East leaders Potters Bar on Saturday. Visitors Harps won the toss and inserted the home side which immediately seemed

HCPL Division Two East

Potters Bar 318-8 (60.0) Harpenden 280-6 (66.0)

HARPENDEN batted well to claim a draw at Division Two East leaders Potters Bar on Saturday.

Visitors Harps won the toss and inserted the home side which immediately seemed a good decision. Bar were reduced to 6-1 and 37-2 with both openers back in the pavilion. Young bowler Joseph Peck continued his impressive progress with the wicket of Steve Gale (10) LBW and Ben Mahoney clean bowled Nesan Jeyaratnam for a duck.

Bar hit back in brutal fashion putting on almost 200 runs for the third wicket. Lanka de Silva fired 154 off 131 balls and Chris Stead hit a century from 138 balls. The incredible display from the duo guided Potters Bar to 318-8 off 60 overs. Swing bowler Mark Mason continued his sensational form for Harpenden with 4-73 off 19 overs and Mahoney finished with 2-65 off 12 overs.

In reply, Harpenden faced a herculean task to chase 319 to win against the side with seven wins from seven. Opener William Jones (36) combined well with number three Mike Howard for a second wicket partnership of 87.

Howard went on to hit 60 off 72 balls before he was clean bowled. Sulaman Qadir hit 47 off 52 balls and Tom Stewart contributed a steady 33 in partnership with Will Bates (17) and impressive young batsman David Keenleyside.

When Stewart finally fell having guided Harpenden from 119-3 to 219-6, Keenleyside continued on and signalled his brilliance with a classy 66 not out off 77 balls including nine fours. Ben Mahoney (11 not out) also batted well alongside Keenleyside and Harpenden reached the close on 280-6 for the draw.