Old Owens proved that last week's victory over league leaders and neighbours Potters Bar was no fluke by doing the same to the side that replaced them at the top of the Herts Cricket League Premiership.

Owens picked up a 57-run success at Radlett in a tight, low-scoring affair.

They were made to bat first and got to 164-8 in 53 overs, all built a solid if patient start.

A third-wicket partnership by the same margin as the winning result, shared by Rhys Carter (32) and Jack Timms set the platform with the latter finishing on 61 from 115 balls.

He had to work hard for it too, only two of them going to the boundary, but he was final wicket to fall, Owens getting just five runs more.

Radlett started like a train on fire in their reply, the first four overs bringing 23 runs with another 22 following in the next four.

Two wickets in the space of three balls twisted the momentum towards the visitors, Jake Whickham the man to strike.

One more wicket fell, a further eight overs later, but it was the 20th over when the fireworks started.

Brad Lane took Hayden Goulstone's wicket for 10, leaving Radlett on 75-4.

Whickham then took three more wickets in his next two overs and the hosts were staring down the barrel at 76-7.

The Owens man still had a sixth wicket up his sleeve, finishing on 6-44, but they had a nervous wait to change 99-9 into 107 all out and victory.

Lane ended up on 3-49.

The result keeps them in the bottom two but they are now 48 clear off Welwyn Garden City.

But the win also means they are just 50 points behind Radlett, who have now slipped to third.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: James Seward had a good day with the bat for Potters Bar. Picture: TGS PHOTOJames Seward had a good day with the bat for Potters Bar. Picture: TGS PHOTO (Image: TGS Photo)

Potters Bar are back on the top spot but only two points ahead of Harpenden.

They drew with West Herts at The Walk in a match that could have gone either way.

Batting first, the hosts got to 201, thanks mostly to a second-wicket partnership of 97 between James Seward (53) and Reece Hussain (57).

The pair took very different approaches to their innings, Hussain hitting seven fours and two sixes as he reached his final total first having faced 53 balls.

Seward though was much more methodical, lasting for more than two hours at the crease and seeing off 113 of the 114 balls that came his way.

His was the fifth wicket to fall, with Potters Bar on 146, but from there only Thilan Walallawita (25) and Teddy Duke (14) made double figures.

In reply West Herts had three partnerships of note, that netted between 41 and 56 runs, but it was the last of those three pairings that dragged them close to an unlikely victory.

They were always behind the run rate until late in the game, the 48th over yielding 14 runs, Lee Tyrell hitting two sixes.

And they added 12 more runs in the next two overs to move 26 away from the target with three overs remaining and three wickets in hand.

Tyrell had lost partner Simon Walker to Jigar Mehta on the last ball of the 50th over and they went into the final over needing 14 for the win.

Walallawita though snared Bill Gage on the third delivery, Seward taking the stumping, and left West Herts happy to take the draw, eight men down.

Mehta managed 3-46, just beaten to top bowling honours by the 3-43 from Walallawita.

North Mymms' game with Hertford was abandoned, leaving the Home Farm side third from bottom.

Potters Bar are at home to North Mymms on Saturday while Old Owens are at home to Harpenden.