HARPENDEN lost pace with league leaders Henley after a rare top-order collapse resigned them to defeat against Potters Bar.

Three ducks in the top five saw Harpenden slump to 25-5, but they managed to reach 118. In response Tanweer Sikandar scored heavily to win the game with wickets and overs to spare.

Skipper Nick Lamb won the toss and elected to bat at The Walk but his decision back-fired spectacularly as Potters Bar tore through the top order.

Dan Blacktopp (6) was the first to go with the score on 14 and his replacement, Chad Breetzke was trapped LBW with his first ball.

Number four James Latham’s stay at the crease was 16 balls longer than Breetzke’s but the outcome was the same when he departed without scoring.

Things went from bad to worse when Ben Frazer was cleaned bowled for a golden duck and Gregg Cooper was gone sooner after as Harpenden were floundering at 25-5.

Lamb (14) and Jake Pankhurst (30) managed to restore some respectability to the innings, taking Harpenden to 64 before the former was caught.

Pankhurst resisted while adding five more runs before he and Alex Spencer (1) fell in quick succession to leave Harpenden in real trouble at 80-8.

Will Jones added 28 to put the visitors over the 100-run mark before he became the ninth wicket. Simon White added a single run before be was rapped on the pads, bringing the innings to an end.

The reply was not as straightforward as Potters Bar would have hoped. Simon White had Peter Sodbodjor caught by Jones with the score on five.

White’s opening partner Frazer began to see his right-arm offspin take effect as wickets fell regularly. In total he took five wickets.

Sikandar was the important wicket Harpenden couldn’t take as he 77 runs in 124 balls to win the game.

Harpenden welcome basement side Burnham to the Common on Saturday, 11am start.