Ernst & Young sprang a major surprise when they beat Spring Garden Cavaliers by three wickets to reach next month's Commercial Cricket League Knockout final in which they will face North Village, easy winners over BC Allrounders in the other semi-final.

The accountants' giant-killing act followed two heavy league defeats to Cavaliers – by 188 runs and eight wickets – earlier in the season.

Cavaliers' skipper Richard Foulds blamed a failure by his batsmen for Sunday's defeat at Warren Simmons Community Field, Ernst & Young reaching their modest 40-overs target of 166 with 37 balls to spare.

Having destroyed Jamaican Association with a 202-run victory at the same venue in the first round of the Knockout a week earlier, Cavaliers – last season's losing finalists – did not help their cause by playing one short.

Openers Dave Greenidge and Donovan Livingston, as well as number eight Lloyd Morrison, made 22 but Cavaliers never recovered from losing four wickets inside the first 15 overs after a promising start.

Chatura Abeysooriya was Ernst & Young's most successful bowler with four for 30 from seven overs. He followed it up with a knock of 21.

Palithapushpa Kumara was top scorer with 29.

Said Ernst & Young's Dhammika Jayalath: "It was a perfect strategy on our part, skillfully executed by the team members. Above all, it was a will to win which made the difference."

Foulds admitted: "Our batting simply wasn't up to it, I'm afraid.

Nobody got above 22 and that's not how to win a game at Warren Simmons, the smallest ground we use.

"We won the toss and batted in the knowledge that we scored 328 last week with contributions everywhere. It is widely acknowledged that our main strength lies in our batting, and posting big totals to bat sides out of the game is our method.

"It was all going swimmingly when Dave and Donovan were batting together, they put on 53 in 11 overs and laid a sound base, but then Dave got run out, which was a great shame because he is in a rich vein of form at the moment, unlike me. I was out next ball, then Donovan and Anthony Brathwaite followed quickly. We were four wickets down inside 15 overs.

"After that we were always chasing the game. Ernst & Young bowled good lines and fielded really well, but we have only ourselves to blame.

"Once the total of 165 was posted, all Ernst & Young had to do was bat sensibly and not get bowled out, which they achieved reasonably easily. We did take seven wickets, and gave ourselves a chance, but Ernst & Young had done the hard work in the field and deserved their victory."

Foulds said it was pleasing to have two officials - Oscar Andrade and Hector Watson - umpire the match after the Bermuda Cricket Board cancelled all its weekend games because of the approach of Hurricane Bill. Meanwhile, Village, who knocked out holders Forties in the previous round, romped to a nine-wicket victory over BC Allrounders in a game that lasted only 37.1 overs at Shelly Bay.

Only last man Andre Smith, who made ten, reached double figures for BC Allrounders. Winston Martin made nine not out and Worrell Bean also made nine.

Brothers Rudy and Randy Smith were also on the mark for Village, picking up three for 14 from 6.3 overs and two for 15 from four respectively.

After Ball was out Mike Payne (21 not out) was joined by promoted Iejaa Caines (16 not out) and the pair quickly knocked off the runs.

Said winning skipper Allen Walker: "Our bowers took a liking to BC.

Brothers Rudy and Randy Smith, with five wickets between them, both bowled very well.

"There was also a fine all-round performance from Dion Ball, who bowled exceptionally well in his allotted eight overs to claim three for 11.

"We got sloppy at the end by dropping three catches. For us to win in the final it will be important for us to hang on to our catches as well as reducing the amount of extras.

"Unfortunately, BC Allrounders did not give us much of a run chase.

This weekend's Twenty20 League Cup gets under way with one match at Garrison Field – Forties against BC Allrounders – and two at Shelly Bay where North Village will face the winners of Jamaican Association against Spring Garden Cavaliers in the first semi-final at 3.30 p.m.

The second semi-final - between Ernst & Young and the winners of Forties and BC Allrounders – as well as the final will be held at Shelly Bay the following Sunday.