St Albans Cricket Club lost for the first time this season but still remain top of the Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League Division 2B.

Potton Town belied their lowly position to claim a two-wicket win at Clarence Park.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, St Albans were soon regretting that decision as they slumped to 18-2.

Adam Hounslow helped steady the score with a gritty 22 but it was the middle order who provided a flurry of runs.

Mbekezeli Mabuza hit his first 50 for the club, going on to make 74, with Matt Howeson (26), Max Capaldi (34) and Sandiapn Chanda (28) all chipping in with decent totals.

Late wickets left St Albans on 229 all out from the full 50 overs.

Potton’s two openers, Sean Stevens and Stephen Williams, started brilliantly, putting on 99 for the first wicket before Mabuza had the latter stumped by Chanda.

Two more quick wickets followed before Kelvin MacFarlane joined Stevens to take the score to 169.

Dan Rosson grabbed three wickets for the loss of just 10 runs but by the time Stevens fell to Howeson, for an impressive 105, only seven runs were required.

Potton still had time to lose one more wicket but they reached their target with 17 balls remaining.

It was a miserable day all round for the club with the seconds, thirds and fourths also losing.

St Albans travel to Allenburys & County Hall next week in the first of the nine 100-over matches.