Veteran batsman Allen Richardson struck an explosive unbeaten century while all-rounder David DeSilva made 42 and claimed a six-wicket haul as Forties held their nerve to keep their rivals at bay and win the Commercial Cricket League title for the first time since 2006.

Richardson's unbeaten 73-ball 124, which included nine sixes and nine fours, and DeSilva's exploits with bat and ball underpinned Forties' emphatic 145-run victory over Ernst & Young at Warren Simmons Community Field.

Title challengers Spring Garden Cavaliers and North Village also both won – Cavaliers by six wickets over BC Allrounders and Village by default over St. David's – but Forties maintained their three-point winning margin over Cavaliers, a team they twice beat this season.

Village, who defeated Forties twice, finished a further point adrift as the curtain came down on the league programme ahead of this week's Knockout first round and the Twenty20 League Cup which starts later in the month.

Forties skipper Gordon Campbell paid tribute to his two match-winners, saying: "Allen produced a very special innings. We had been waiting for him to break out all year. He has produced a couple of scores this year but nowhere like this fluency.

"David D also had a memorable day with bat and ball. He was almost unplayable, with four wickets in his first four overs, all of them bowled."

Forties, who lost the toss, declared on 268 for four from 41 overs and then bowled out Ernst & Young for 123 in the 34th over, having beaten the accountants by 133 runs earlier in the season.

Campbell (36) and DeSilva added 75 for the first wicket but the key partnership was between 51-year-old Richardson and Yatin Gawas (43), the pair adding 115 for the third wicket as Forties stepped up the tempo.

"It just shows the value of wickets in hand. At 126 for two at the second water break (28 overs) I asked Yatin and Allen to give us 100 runs in the final 14-over session. The pair were instrumental in giving us 142 in 13," said Campbell, who admitted afterwards he was worried when Ernst & Young raced to 36 for no wicket off five overs in reply.

Bringing on DeSilva did the trick, however, the left-arm swing bowler claiming six for 41 from ten overs before his son Dylan wrapped up the tail with two for two from 3.5 overs.

Pick of the Ernst & Young bowlers was Dhammika Jayalath, who took two for 93 from 15, while their top batsmen were Shriram Rangarajan (31) and Kavitharan Selvarajah (20).

Richardson, a former St. George's Cup Match player (he was MVP in 1983) and St. David's Eastern Counties Cup star with a highest score of 167 against Flatts, said: "It's amazing that we (Forties) won the league with our team looking like the walking dead.

"I remember my first match when I turned up and saw Gordon Campbell batting and limping. I said, 'That player is injured' and everyone said he plays like that. I thought Elliott Pitcher was the one cricketer that loved cricket more than anyone but Gordon Campbell is right up there with him.

"The Commercial League is a great league but we need to do something about the umpiring. What I do know is this, one day it will destroy the league," added Richardson, first vice-president of the Bermuda Cricket Board, who joined Forties this season after earlier Commercial League stints with North Village and Hamilton Parish.

Ernst & Young skipper Karunakar Kaushik congratulated Forties on winning the title, saying: "Forties really played well. We could see how everyone in their team applied themselves which probably was missing at our end, especially while batting.

"I congratulate Forties for their win. They deserve it. It is just our second season in the league and we have secured fourth position in the league this year. I am satisfied with this progress, as of now.

"I am sure that we have learnt a lot as a team this season and we will continue to improve going forward. We can definitely become a challenge for the other teams in the next season as we have the potential to do it. I would like to take an opportunity to thank every team member in our Ernst & Young squad to have given their best throughout the season."

Cavaliers' skipper Richard Foulds also congratulated Forties on their title. "Forties were worthy league winners. It's been a good league season, and with three teams in contention for the title going into the last round of matches, it has kept the interest high to the end. We're now very much looking forward to the Knockout cup and the Twenty20 competition."

Having been sent in at Shelly Bay, BC Allrounders were dismissed for 159 in the 41st over with Khary Smith making 31 and Dano Outerbridge 28.

Thrust into the unusual role of opening bowler, Barry Richards, who later hit 20 not out from ten balls, took two for 30 from seven overs and was well supported by Jerry Callender (two for 42 from nine), Steve Diamond (two for 40 from 12) and Fernando Paul, who claimed three for 22 from 5.1 overs.

Openers David Gibbons, who made an unbeaten 51, and Donovan Livingston (32) added 58 in 15 overs while Anthony Brathwaite made 25 as Cavaliers reached their target in 31 overs.

BC Allrounders' opening bowler Smith followed up his side's top score by snapping up three for 59 from 13 overs.

Pick of this Sunday's Knockout matches are last season's losing finalists Cavaliers against Jamaican Association at Warren Simmons Community Field and holders Forties against Village at Shelly Bay.