A typically explosive unbeaten 93 by Andy Boyce and a fine allround performance by 60-year-old George Rock powered West Indian Association to their first Commercial Knockout triumph when they beat luckless Sandys Sports Club by three wickets in a rain-affected final at Wellington Oval on Sunday.

The season-ending victory, with seven overs to spare, completed the prestigious league and Knockout double for WIA.

As in their eight-wicket semi-final victory over Forties, the toss proved crucial in WIA's success on Sunday when rain hit below-strength Sandys' hopes in the field after they were sent in.

Replying to Sandys' challenging 40-over total of 182 for eight -- highlighted by a swashbuckling knock of 55 by Terence Corday and a disciplined innings of 47 by his uncle Michael -- WIA were wobbling at 45 for three from 10 overs when heavy rain held up play for half an hour.

A large wet patch developed in the middle of the pitch -- despite the best efforts of Sandys players to get the covers on quickly -- but skippers Terry Corday of Sandys and WIA's Jerry Callender agreed to carry on.

Sandys ripped out four more wickets, reducing WIA to 126 for seven, but as more rain returned the West End bowlers lost their grip on the ball -- and the match -- and resolute Boyce and Rock combined in an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 57 to seal victory in the gathering gloom.

Thirty-nine-year-old Boyce ended the game in dramatic fashion, smashing three huge legside sixes off Troy Berkeley's third over which cost 20 runs.

Master blaster Boyce clouted six sixes in all as well as eight fours and in the process carried his run aggregate for the season to 562 from 11 innings, giving him an impressive average of 80.28.

Rock's contribution with the bat to WIA's winning cause was a valuable unbeaten 11 while earlier he showed he is still a force to reckon with the ball, claiming one for 25 from seven overs as well as taking two catches in the deep to remove David DeSilva and Terence Corday.

Rock's final over went for 15, spoiling his figures, but it produced a cricket rarity -- a seven -- as well as a wicket (Michael Corday's) and a six.

Robert DeSilva, who made 19, drove Rock's first ball towards the long off boundary and as the return came in, with DeSilva and Corday going for a third run, Rock tried to run out Corday but missed the stumps and the ball raced to the boundary at the other end of the ground for four.

Rock had Corday caught behind next ball but DeSilva added to the bowler's chagrin by pulling the fifth ball for six.

Openers Ray DeSilva and Terry Corday had given Sandys a steady start, putting on 30, but the introduction of Donville Yarde, WIA's most successful bowler, paid immediate dividends, the medium pacer having DeSilva caught for 18.

Yarde picked up three more wickets -- Corday (eight), David DeSilva (five) and Troy Berkeley (nine) -- to finish with an impressive four for 29 in his eight-over stint as Sandys, missing leading batsman Terry Ward who was on an overseas cricket jaunt, slipped to 59 for four from 19 overs.

But Terence Corday came in to join Michael Corday and immediately went on the attack, taking a particular liking to slow bowlers Barry Walkes (nought for 34 in six overs) and Sean Spencer (nought for 24 in three overs), the pair adding 81 in 13 overs before the younger Corday lofted a catch to Rock at deep mid-wicket, having smashed one six and six fours in his 55.

Michael Corday stepped up his own run rate, hitting four boundaries, before he was seventh out at 172 when Rock removed him with a ball that jumped.

As WIA began their reply Chris Graham-Ward (12) and Spencer (two) put on 20 in four overs but both fell victim to two smart pieces of glove work by wicketkeeper Michael Corday, who took a fine one-handed catch to remove Graham-Ward and six runs later stumped Spencer.

Terence Corday (two for 47) gained a second wicket when Barry Walkes (12) miscued a backfoot drive to give the bowler an easy return catch.

After the rain break David DeSilva bowled Roy Trotman, who had taken two for 31 earlier, for five. Callender also went for five, run out at 89, and after a stand of 35 with Boyce wicketkeeper Whitfield Nurse was caught to give David DeSilva (two for 24) his second wicket.

Michael Corday handed the wicketkeeper's gloves to Ray DeSilva and claimed a seventh WIA wicket when he bowled Randolph Byer for a duck at 124.

But with light rain persisting the bowlers found it increasingly difficult to keep their footing and even a change of ball -- approved by umpires Dennis Raynor and Wilbur Pitcher but begrudged by some WIA players beyond the boundary ropes -- couldn't help them budge Boyce and Rock who stayed to complete the victory in style at the end of the 33rd over.