POTTERNE blew the Premier One Division title race wide open after they took down leaders Bath by 29 runs in a low-scoring affair in Somerset.

On a green and sticky wicket, Neil Clark’s side were asked to bat first and suffered the loss of both of their openers early on, consequently being reduced to 5-2.

Clark felt a par score for his team would be 220, however, few batsmen found runs particularly easy to come by – only Sahan Wijerathne (46*) made a score of note as Potterne posted 169 all out.

Once the visitors had ball in hand, an early breakthrough courtesy of Tahir Afridi gave Potterne early promise, but Bath fought back and made it to 40 with the loss of one wicket.

Yet 40-1 turned into 40-4 and Potterne began to take a hold of the game – a grip that they would not release as Afridi (4-35) capped off his strong bowling performance by removing the last Bath batsman with the hosts on 140.

Potterne’s victory puts them within eight points of leaders Bath and Clark admitted that while he would like to adhere to the old cliché of taking things game by game, he cannot help but admit the league title is his side’s only aim.

He said: “We’re four from four since I’ve taken over the captaincy, and it’s always nice to beat Bath.

“They were full strength, and we were missing one or two, so to go and beat them away gives us a bit of confidence for the rest of the season to try and compete.

“If we had any aspirations of winning the league then we had to beat them on Saturday, and that’s what I said to the boys beforehand.

“I want to take each game as it comes, but we are looking to be up there.

“We’ve blown it wide open at the top now and it’s all very close.”

Meanwhile, Potterne made it through to WEPL T20 Finals Day after winning both of their Round Two Group Four matches against Biddestone and Cheltenham by six wickets.