Welwyn Garden City and Potters Bar set up a potentially season-defining clash with more wins in the Herts Cricket League Premier Division.

Welwyn's five-wicket success against West Herts, a third on the bounce, was matched by Potters Bar's eight-wicket victory at basement club Reed and means the pair are now pulling clear of the rest at the top of the table with the big clash at The Walk on Saturday looming large.

The pair have both won six of their 10 games with WGC two points ahead of their near neighbours. However, the gap between Potters Bar and third-place Harpenden is now 28.

Welwyn's win saw them surprisingly start in the field despite losing the toss on a Digswell Park shrouded in light drizzle.

And they took advantage early on with two wickets taken for the loss of just five runs before that stretched out slightly to 57-4.

It was after lunch that Welwyn finally grasped control, removing Priyamal Perrera for 46 the first blow in their favour before the the spin twins of Mo Rizvi and Simon Bridgewater rattled through the tail.

Rizvi finished with 4-45 while Bridgewater claimed 3-34 as West Herts were all out in the 58th over for 154.

Rizvi and fellow opener Louis Champion and Mo Rizvi produced their best partnership of the season, taking After 30 minutes and seven hours they had reached 50 and it would only come to an end after 71 runs, Champion falling for 29.

Mo Rizvi was then involved in his second half-century partnership of the match, teaming with Zaid Faleel to take WGC to within 30 runs of victory.

But having just hit Lewis Koch for six, Rizvi attempted the same shot and holed out to Dan Woosley for a season best 59 off 100 balls.

Two more wickets fell in the remaining time, Faleel going for 33, but Dan Blacktopp and Andrew Nolan saw City home without further alarms.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Potters Bar will be hoping for plenty more smiles against Welwyn Garden City.Potters Bar will be hoping for plenty more smiles against Welwyn Garden City. (Image: Karyn Haddon)

Bar's victory was fairly straight forward in contrast. Putting Reed into bat they had the home side all out for 120.

A late flourish from Ed Wharton was the only fly in the ointment for Bar but was ended in some style, Luke Chapman claiming 5-9 in five overs.

Reece Hussain (39*) and Ashane Wijesuriya (43*) then finished Reed off.