Holders Spring Garden Cavaliers dug deep to see off Jamaican Association and North Village in the same afternoon and power their way into this weekend's Commercial Cricket League's Twenty20 League Cup final in which they will face either Forties or Ernst & Young.

Cavaliers thrashed the Jamaicans by ten wickets and then held off Village in a high-scoring semi-final to win by 26 runs.

"Our bowlers did not adapt well in this format," admitted Village skipper Allen Walker.

Forties earned a spot in the semi-finals by trouncing last season's losing finalists BC Allrounders by 88 runs.

Like Cavaliers on Sunday, Forties or Ernst & Young now face doing double duty this weekend at Shelly Bay as the six-team tournament is wrapped up in two weekends – a tall order for some of the league's older players.

"After today's game, I don't know about anyone else, but I think playing two 20/20s in one afternoon is going to be a big ask for Ernst & Young or us. I am wiped," said Forties' 57-year-old skipper Gordon Campbell despite his side's easy victory over BC Allrounders at Garrison Field.

Ernst & Young, who had a bye into the semi-finals, have a much younger side than Forties and will fancy their chances of enjoying a reversal of fortune in the shorter form of the game, having lost twice to the league champions this season.

Forties meet Ernst & Young at 12.15 p.m. with the winners going on to face favourites Cavaliers in the final at 3.30 p.m.

"I think the game against Ernst & Young is going to be a challenge," said Campbell. "They should be one of the better teams at 20/20."

Ernst & Young have already clinched a place in the Knockout final against North Village on September 13, overturning league form to beat Cavaliers in the semi-finals.

Left-hander Barry Richards marked his return to the team after a two-week holiday in Canada by smashing six sixes and four fours in an unbeaten 83, but was dropped three times, as he and Dave Greenidge, whose unbeaten 48 included three sixes and three fours, led Cavaliers to an emphatic ten-wicket victory over Jamaican Association, reaching their target of 143 with three and a half overs to spare at Shelly Bay.

The pair then dropped down the order for the semi-final but Cavaliers rattled up 201 for four – led by Craig Smith's 58 and skipper Richard Foulds' unbeaten 49 – before restricting Village, who had a bye into the last four, to 175 for four.

In the opener, Jamaican Association, who won the toss, reached 142 for nine from their 20 overs, Alleyne Francis making 40 and Keniek Wallen 28.

Pick of the Cavaliers' attack was Alan Boyce, who took four for 42 from his four overs, while Fernando Paul picked up two for 22 from four.

Richards and Greenidge then made quick work of their task to secure victory.

"We took wickets at regular intervals against the Jamaicans which avoided them building any partnerships which are crucial in this form of the game," said skipper Foulds.

"Although Alan went for ten an over, he took four wickets which could have been five had he not collided with Rohan Ramotar when going for a return catch off the last ball of the innings.

"Our openers wrapped up the game with some excellent strokeplay and big hits. At the ten-overs mark we were 72 for no wicket and then Barry really hit the gas and the remaining 71 needed for victory came in 39 balls," added Foulds, who also lost the toss against Village.

Although Donovan Livingston fell for four, fellow opener Jeff DeSilva made 29, Anthony Brathwaite 33 and Richards 11 not out from three balls, following Smith's 29-ball 58, in which he struck nine fours and two sixes, and Foulds' 41-ball 49, which contained three sixes and two fours.

Pick of the Village attack was Rudy Smith with two for 33 from four.

He later made 31 not out.

Smith followed his quickfire 58 by bagging three for 23 from four while Richards, who bowled three of the final six overs, went for only 18 runs as Village's chase came up short, Ernest McCallan topscoring with 45 not out.

"As Barry and Dave were tired from their heroics against the Jamaicans, Donovan and Jeff opened, and Jeff got us off to a flyer, scoring at ten an over early on," said Foulds.

"When he was out we had 54 on the board after five overs. Village managed to keep things tight between overs six and nine, when Anthony was playing himself in, but then the tenth over went for 11 runs, the 11th for 19.

"Once Anthony was out in the 12th over, man-of-the-match Craig Smith put on a wonderful display of muscular power-hitting which really turned the screw. He hit 58 out of a partnership of 84 with myself, and I'm no slow-coach.

"I was just glad I was batting with him rather than bowling at him.

That, along with Barry coming out and hitting the last two balls of the innings to the boundary, meant we managed to maintain momentum and post a huge score.

"North Village's batsmen really tried their hearts out, and were in the game right until the 18th over. Mike Payne (19) and Dion Ball, Jr. (15) got them off to a good start, and then McCallan really gave it his best shot with some clean hitting.

"We compounded their chase by dropping seven catches, but with Craig bowling really well in the middle of the innings and some tight bowling by Barry at the death reined it in and made sure it was our day."

Skipper Walker said the match lived up to the expectations.

"I was pleased with our run chase. Ernest McCallan did a great job with his knock of 45 not out and Rudy Smith made 31 not out. We just gave up too many runs at the end of the day."

Jamaican Association's manager Glenmore Barrett was far from despondent afterwards, despite losing their league crown to Forties and going out early in the Knockout and League Cup, saying: "I see prospects for next season, so let's try again."

Skipper Campbell, who made 44 from 45 balls, and Harold Minors, with 41 from 33 balls, led the way for Forties after they were sent in by BC Allrounders, posting 154 for eight. Larry Allen took two for 18 from four.

Randy Simmons, who made 16, then took three for ten from four overs and David DeSilva three for 12 from four as Forties routed BC Allrounders for 66 in 19.2 overs.

"Randy and David D bowled with their usual panache," added Campbell.