Potters Bar made all running at a sun drenched Common at the weekend and couldn’t quite force the needed win which keeps the boys in the bottom four and looking over their shoulders at the sides below them.

On winning the toss Bar chose to bat first on a well grassed pitch but this allowed Ben Mahoney of Harpenden to work his magic early on and this soon accounted for Antony Keely, a rare failure for him, as he was clean bowled for 1 and Bar were 12 for 1.

Tanny Sikandar joined James Kettleborough who looked in top form as he eased into the 40’s with an array of boundaries as Bar raced to the 50 mark in just 78 balls. Sadly Bar lost Tanny Sikandar as he edged behind to the first ball of veteran Simon White’s first ball of his second over and at 51 for 2 the rate was checked.

In at 4 was Tim Phillips (33*) who was making his second league performance of the season and he and James Kettleborough (74*) gave few alarms as the boys went into a splendid lunch sat 121 for 2 from 32 overs. With the average 1st innings score of 213 at Harpenden in easy reach a score of 280 would be the target.

Disaster for Bar as Tim Phillips went in the first over after the break for 37 and Tom Webley joined James Kettleborough who seemed to get a second wind after the lunch break.

He eased his way through the 90’s and was shaking hands with Tom Webley by completing his second HCPL hundred of the season and his third in Potters Bar colours. Both Kettleborough and Webley had completed the 50 partnership in 67 balls as Bar were looking in a strong and commanding position. For the record, ‘Kett’s’ 100 came in 139 balls, hitting 11 boundaries and a six.

Sadly both Tom Webley (24) and James Kettleborough (103) went in quick succession both edging behind to Warn off of ex-Bar colt Nick Lamb. So Bar had gone from a period of dominance at 3 for 183 to 5 for 188.

However Marc Milligan and George Scott batted beautifully and broke the clubs 6th wicket league record by putting on a rapid 100 in just 68 balls. Marc Milligan had a life on just 9 as he hammered the ball to deep square leg, only for Gregg Cooper to Mexican wave it over the boundary for 6. Hoff didn’t look back and blasted 78 from 44 balls, hitting seven sixes and 4 fours.

So Bar declared at 288 for 6 from 58.3 overs leaving Harpenden 61 overs to make 289 at a rate of just under 4.75 runs per over.

Could they do it, would they try for it? The answer was no.

After losing Cooper for 17 leg before to Tanny Sikandar and James Latham caught excellently by skipper Swainland off Marc Milligan, the hosts were 19 for 2. When Spencer went caught behind off of George Scott for 14, the hosts were in the poop at 43 for 3 but 18 overs had already disappeared.

Both Nick Lamb and Chris Warn saw it through to the tea break at 64 for 3 from 27 overs, leaving them 34 overs to make a highly unlikely 225 at over 6.6 runs per over.

The home sides task was made even harder as Warn went caught bat pad off of Tim Phillips for a 60-ball 18 and when Harpenden skipper Nick Lamb was bowled by Sal Choudhry for 13 Bar were in the pound seats.

To Harpenden’s credit they shut up shop at 65 for 5 with still 32 overs left and thanks to Mike Howard (81*) they made the pavilion with a draw and a haul of 7 points.

Bar did have a glimmer of hope with 2 wickets in 20 balls as Washington went for 31 as he miscued an attempted hook to square leg and when Simon White was bowled leaving a ball which tailed in from outside off stump, the hosts were 160 for 7 with 11 overs remaining.

However like we did a fortnight ago, the shutters came up with the sign “no milk today thank you” and we had to leave it at that and leave a place where they rarely lose with 14 points and still sit in 7th place, 5 clear of Burnham and 15 clear of Bishops Stortford.