All-rounder Craig Smith was again in irresistible form as he fired Spring Garden Cavaliers to a crushing six-wicket victory over defending Commercial Cricket League champions Forties whose skipper Gordon Campbell admitted: "With that team, Cavaliers are going to be tough to beat this season. They whupped us."

Smith, who began the season with a three-wicket haul and unbeaten half-century to send newcomers Titans packing, routed ten-man Forties with figures of six for 35 from 13 overs and a knock of 49 as Cavaliers raced to their modest victory target of 128 inside 26 overs at Garrison Field.

Meanwhile, North Village bounced back from defeat against Jamaican Association in week one with an emphatic seven-wicket victory over BC Allrounders at Shelly Bay, Dion Ball jr striking his second successive half century, while the Jamaicans claimed ten more points after Titans were unable to raise a side for their scheduled match at Warren Simmons Community Field.

Acting skipper Kavi Selvarajah said Titans, who are due to face Forties at Shelly Bay on Sunday, will hold a team meeting this week "to discuss our future progress".

Said Selvarajah yesterday: "We were forced to pull out of the game (against Jamaican Association) due to non-availability of players to make up a team.

"The Titans team were all geared up and all members were looking forward to playing some good cricket throughout the season, but unfortunately there were so many players who were not available due to injury, travel and other unavoidable personal commitments on Sunday.

"Apologies for any inconvenience caused," added Selvarajah whose squad includes seven members of former Commercial League side Ernst & Young.

Forties were bundled out for 127 in the 38th over, after losing the toss, despite an opening stand of 54 between Campbell, who hit five fours in his 64-ball 39, and Simon Jones (21).

Randy Simmons, who later took two for 35 from seven overs, chipped in with an unbeaten 24 at number seven but Forties had no answer to Smith or Trevor Haynes, who took two for 29 from nine.

Said skipper Campbell: "We had another good start, but the bowling was pretty tight, and the ball was swinging. We were about 80 runs short of a good total."

Architects of the Cavaliers run chase, after openers Jeff DeSilva and Donovan Livingston and number four Barry Richards went cheaply, were Smith and Richard Foulds, who followed up their century stand last week with a fourth-wicket partnership of 63 that carried their side to the brink of victory and ended by a smart return catch by Jones to deny Smith another half-century.

Smith struck two sixes and seven fours in his run-a-ball 49 while Foulds' unbeaten 43 from 66 balls included five fours.

"There was the odd stumble along the way in our innings but this was as easy a win as we've had against Forties in quite some time," said Foulds.

Cavaliers opened their attack with Fernando Paul and former Police player Rohan Henry who kept a tight line without making a breakthrough but the introduction of Haynes and Smith saw a swift change of fortunes.

"Smith was as accurate as Haynes was hostile," said Foulds.

Of his match-winning stand with Smith, Foulds said: "Craig and I complement each other in that Craig punishes anything loose with brute strength and power, while I like to play in a more orthodox style with the target score in mind."

Maurice Steede's four for eight from 3.3 overs helped skittle out BC Allrounders for 117 before Ball's 57 engineered Village's victory with an opening stand of 61 with David Scraders (20) . Frederick Smith took two for 28 from three.

Only Nathan Webb (23), Jermaine Coddington (22) and Mitchell DeShields (19) offered any resistance to the Village attack, Ball also getting among the wickets with two for 37 from 11, while Mike Levon, Jr. took two for 15 from six.

"We had a good day in the field which resulted in an improvement from last week as we took nine catches," said Village skipper Allen Walker.