Saturday 3^rd September

Potters Bar 3’s vs. Reed 2’s

Reed – 140/10 (41.5 overs) vs. Potters Bar – 144-6 (44.4 overs)

Potters Bar 3’s achieved their 2^nd promotion in two seasons with victory in their final game of the season against Reed 2’s. With other results in the final weekend also going their way it meant that Potters Bar actually ended the season as runners up to Totteridge, who were in fact the only team that they lost to all season.

Knowing that 14 points would guarantee promotion things were not made easy when the Reed captain won the toss and elected to bat first. However the ever dependable Neil Raisborough and Rupert Pyrah decided to take matters into their own hands and had soon reduced Reed to 10-3. Despite the best efforts of the bowlers more wickets were then hard to come by as the home side started to build up a promising score and when drinks were taken after 26 overs they were well placed on 104-4. However the 2 overs after the break changed the course of the game as the Reed skipper was well caught down the leg side by keeper Ravi Vigh, and then the Reed no.6 who was looking to be very dangerous was caught short half way down the pitch and despite his best efforts to get back was superbly run out with a direct hit from Potters Bar skipper Paul Kennedy.

After this the tail end soon faded as Raisborough and Pyrah continued to pick up wickets as Reed were eventually dismissed for 140 in just over 2 hours. Pyrah picked up another 5-wicket haul and Raisborough the other 4 as both bowlers finished above the 40-wicket mark for the season. This was a fine effort from both experienced players despite them missing several games during the season.

So at the tea Break the equation was simple, 141 runs to win in 58 overs and promotion was guaranteed. Rob Daley opened up with the returning John Erroll and despite a couple of early scares they both settled down and had put on 57 for the 1^st wicket before Erroll was stumped down the leg side. This bought in the ever-improving Ravi Vigh and along with Rob Daley they both continued to play their shots before Daley was caught in the gully with the score on 92. With 8 wickets still in hand less than 50 runs were needed, however a mini collapse then ensued and Potters Bar soon had a case of the jitters as they then found themselves on 110-5.

The tension was definitely growing as victory was so close but seemed so far away, however the experience of Graham Taylor and Will Daley soon showed as they gradually moved the score along until Taylor was out with only 2 runs to win. It was then left to Will Daley, who clipped the ball over mid-wicket in the 45th over to bring home the 30 points and promotion into Division 6.

This season has been a tremendous effort from all of those involved in the team, particularly as they only suffered one league defeat in 18 games at the hands of Totteridge who were crowned champions on Saturday.

Herts League Position Go>