All-rounder Donovan Livingston was the toast of the Jamaican Association after brilliantly masterminding his team's first Commercial Cricket League knockout title success, rescuing them from what seemed lost causes in both the semi-final and final - and providing fresh inspiration for the club next season.

Livingston, a 45-year-old bus driver, first scored a half century to engineer an improbable 60-run semi-final victory over league runners-up WIA at Shelly Bay and followed it up with a superb unbeaten 74 from 84 balls to guide the Jamaicans to an ultimately emphatic four-wicket victory over league champions and hot favourites Leg Trappers in an absorbing final at Lord's on Sunday.

A six that just cleared the long-off boundary rope sealed the Jamaican victory, avenging two heavy league defeats and shattering Trappers' hopes of repeating their 1999 league and knockout double success. Sunday's defeat, in a game in which neither wicketkeeper conceded a bye, was Trappers' first of the season.

The victory, completed with more than six overs to spare after Leg Trappers had been sent in and restricted to 172 for nine in their 40 overs, sparked wild scenes among the large contingent of Jamaican fans as hero Livingston was carried off the field by his jubilant team-mates.

The champagne celebrations, which went on into the night at private parties, started at Lord's and continued at the Mid Atlantic Boat & Sports Club on North Shore in Devonshire after a 20-vehicle motorcade as players and fans waving Jamaican flags headed there from the east end.

The Jamaicans, who began their Commercial League life as Pembroke United before changing their name in 1997, had only once previously won a trophy - they were league champions in 1990 - and appeared to have little chance of adding to their silverware in Sunday's showpiece finale after finishing a disappointing sixth of eight teams in the league.

Livingston, who struck 10 boundaries and survived one difficult chance to wicketkeeper Justin Freisenbruch, paid tribute to Junior Lindo who joined him with the team in deep trouble at 94 for six. Lindo dug in and finished unbeaten on 32 as the pair added 84 in a scintillating unbroken seventh-wicket partnership.

"It was a front-foot pitch for batting and I kept telling the guys to play straight. I said at the water break that I just needed someone to stay with me and I could build an innings and bring it home," said number four batsman Livingston whose innings was a blend of caution and aggression. "The target was very reachable. Junior came out and stayed with me and we got the job done."

He also paid tribute to the Jamaican fans, saying: "We have the greatest spectators - they're always shouting and you know you can't let them down.

"I've only played a few league matches this season because of work commitments but I've always wanted to win something for the manager (Glenmore Barrett)," added Livingston, who has lived in Bermuda for almost 19 years and previously played for Premier clubs Willow Cuts, Police and Somerset. He has enjoyed similar success at football, both as a player and coach.

"I'm elated - the guys worked so hard for it," said Barrett, a chef who has been proudly displaying the new knockout trophy to his customers at the Green Lantern restaurant this week. He also praised Lindo, saying: "Junior's someone you can count on batting or bowling."

Skipper Chris Daley described the Jamaicans' year, after finishing league runners-up in 2001, as "an up-and-down season", but said winning the knockout had almost certainly persuaded Livingston and wicketkeeper Lloyd Morrison, another seasoned campaigner, to change their minds about retiring.

Daley, a former Somerset player, also said he had decided against returning to top-flight cricket and would stay with the Jamaicans who could receive a further boost with fast bowler David Gibbs likely to rejoin the club from Somerset in 2003.

"We're going to make a big push for the league title next season," said team member Rowan Ramotar.

Leg Trappers began the final in confident fashion, despite the absence of leading player Graham Strange, with skipper Gary Knight and David Hosier (23) putting on 46 for the first wicket and they had moved on to 71 for one when disaster struck.

Chris Fleming called for a single but changed his mind and Knight was unluckily run out for 32 just as he was beginning to cut loose, the bowler's foot deflecting a throw from Daley at mid-off onto the stumps.

The dismissal triggered a mini-collapse as four wickets tumbled for 20 runs, and although Freisenbruch hit two sixes in a breezy knock of 29 and James Swan struck an unbeaten 17 from 11 balls Trappers fell well short of the total they were aiming for, Glenroy Brown finishing with three for 50 and Livingston two for 22 from their eight-over stints.

The Jamaicans attacked from the start of their innings and opener Daley looked in good touch until he dragged an innocuous ball onto his stumps and was out for 19.

Livingston and Morrison carried the total to 59 before Morrison ran himself out for 11 and Australian Andy Harris, Trappers' most successful bowler with three for 33, continued to make inroads as he scythed through the middle order.

But there was no further success for the league champions, Livingston and Lindo growing in confidence as they closed in on their victory target, and Marc Wetherhill's final over - the 32nd - went for 15 runs.