The unavailability of Wellington Oval for the key League Cup third-round match between Commercial Cricket League rivals North Village and Forties has left the line-up for the competition's semi-finals later this month up in the air.

Both clubs had already qualified from Group A with two wins apiece in the revived tournament, which had not been on the league's calendar in a decade, but now league officials will have to scrutinise earlier results - or toss a coin - to see who their opponents from Group B will be on August 26.

St. David's threw away their chance of reaching the semi-finals by defaulting their Group B match against unbeaten Hamilton Parish, who finished top with West Indian Association claiming second spot.

Despite assurances that Wellington Oval would be prepared for Sunday's match, players found the pitch had not been touched since Cup Match two weeks earlier and scaffolding and other bits were still lying on the outfield, forcing the group decider to be abandoned.

"We had a firm commitment that the pitch would be prepared and we agreed on a price for the rental," said a league spokesman. "It's unfair on the players who made the journey down there only to find it was a waste of their time. We don't always get the respect we deserve."

Ironically, nearby Garrison Field became available when St. David's turned up with only five players for their final match of the season and defaulted at 2 p.m.

WIA clinched their semi-final place with a crushing eight-wicket victory over ten-man Western Stars at Shelly Bay, reaching their modest target in only ten overs.

Teenager Dale Eve was top scorer with 18 as Stars dug in before being dismissed for 76 in the 28th over.

Courtney Weekes was the pick of the WIA attack with three five in 2.4 overs while Dave Bhagwan took two for 14 in four and Boobalan Kannan two for 18 in six.

In reply, opener Anthony Brathwaite struck three sixes and two fours in his 30, Bhagwan made 24 not out and Reginald Pitcher was 14 not out at the close.

The only consolation for Stars was 13-year-old Seth Campbell (one for 12 in three) claiming the wicket of Chris Clarke, a century-maker earlier in the season, for one.

The Group A match at the Warren Simmons Community Field was of academic interest only as Fine Leg Byes and eight-man Jamaican Association were already out of the reckoning.

The game lasted only 23 overs - out of a possible 84 - but Jamaican Mervyn Muckler provided plenty of fireworks with another explosive knock against his fellow countrymen.

Muckler, whose unbeaten century knocked Jamaican Association out of the Knockout Cup in a first-round match last month, flayed JA's attack again, smashing seven sixes and five fours in an unbeaten 72 after being dropped three times, as FLB reached 86 without loss in just nine overs.

Muckler's fellow opener Indika Perera was a spectator at the other end, finishing five not out.

Earlier, Perera claimed three for 28 from five overs and Craig Smith three for four from three as JA were dismissed for 84 in 14 overs, Chris Daley making 31 and Wayne Lock 27.

"The game was short and sweet," said FLB skipper Troy Berkeley. "We didn't start until after 1 p.m. and we were finished by 3.30."

This Sunday's programme features the final round of league matches, highlighted by champions Village taking on runners-up Parish at Shelly Bay, although Forties and Stars still have to rearrange an earlier postponed match.

At one stage it seemed likely the Shelly Bay fixture would be the title showdown but Parish's unexpected three-wicket defeat at the hands of JA last month virtually ended their hopes and Village were confirmed as champions for the second time in three seasons when FLB defaulted their match against Village.

WIA take on Forties in another league fixture that could be the first of three successive encounters between the clubs. The teams are already set to meet in next month's Knockout Cup semi-finals and could also end up facing each other in the League Cup semi-finals.

Sunday's other league matches pit JA against bottom club BC Allrounders and FLB against Stars.