during a stormy Commercial Cricket League match between arch rivals Watford Sports Club and West Indian Association that ended in a controversial draw.

"I can't put up with this,'' Best told team-mate Michael Corday after the game.

Watford took over the top spot as defending champions Hemisphere Leg Trappers faltered, losing for the first time to North Village in a match highlighted by three five-wicket hauls.

Forties scored a comfortable four-wicket win over Devonshire Stars while Jamaican Association crushed Sandys Community Youth Club by eight wickets.

Best, the Island's soccer technical director, left the field at Shelly Bay when David DeSilva (three for 34) had an appeal for a catch at the wicket against top scorer Barry Walkes turned down with West Indian Association tottering at 74 for seven in pursuit of a victory target of 161.

Wicketkeeper Corday, who was standing back, said an inside edge from Walkes carried through cleanly to him but umpire Ken Savoury said last night he rejected the appeal because the ball hit the ground before reaching the wicketkeeper.

Earlier in the innings, Watford appeals for what they claimed was a "blatant'' run out were also turned down.

After the second appeal was rejected fed-up Best, playing for only the second time this season, walked off but stayed at the ground to watch the remainder of the game.

With light fading Walkes and Huron Vidal (19 not out) twice turned down offers from the umpires to go off for bad light but when Walkes, who had been dropped first ball by Terry Ward, was ninth out for 32 at 149 last man Garfield Daly accepted the third offer to go off at 8.15 p.m. with his side nine runs short of victory. Trevor Corday and Blake West each took two wickets.

Games between the two clubs have been marked by acrimony in the past.

Watford skipper Terry Corday blamed the game being curtailed on WIA turning up late -- the first ball was bowled 50 minutes after the scheduled 12.30 p.m.

start -- but his opposite number, John McConnie, said arguing among the Watford players during the WIA innings caused the abandonment.

A nasty injury to Watford batsman Troy Berkeley also held up the game for more than 10 minutes while he had treatment but Berkeley, who received a cut lip after being struck by fast bowler Olwin Clarke, returned to help last man Ray DeSilva (30) add 30 runs for the last wicket.

Number 10 West started the revival, topscoring with 32, after Watford had been reeling at 78 for eight, as Clarke snapped up five for 52 from 15 overs and fellow pace bowler Jerry Callender took four for 33 from eight overs.

North Village got the jitters when on the verge of victory over Leg Trappers at Nationals, but eventually eased home by two wickets after dismissing the home side for a modest 123.

Graham Strange hit three boundaries in his 43 and Jeremy Franklin and James Swan both made 20 but pace bowlers Chris Caisey and Derek Bell held the upper hand, Caisey taking five for 38 from 16 overs and Bell five for 63 from 19.2 overs.

Skipper Dion Ball and Shiran DeSilva provided the perfect platform for the Village reply, adding 60 for the first wicket, and Andy Boyce followed up with a knock of 27 but with Swan taking five for 26 from 11 overs, Village slumped from 121 for four to 123 for eight before Mike Levon (four not out) secured the points.

All-rounder Ian Smith, architect of many victories that carried Leg Trappers to the title last year, enjoyed an unhappy first game of the season -- he was out first ball for a duck and conceded 23 runs in eight overs without taking a wicket.

Skipper Gordon Campbell enjoyed a rewarding day with bat and ball as Forties ran out easy winners over Devonshire Stars.

Campbell picked up three for 32 from 11 overs and Alan Lamb took three for 20 from 7.3 overs as Stars were dismissed for 131, Derrick Smith topscoring with 26. Wayne Frost took two for 22 and then Campbell made top score of 26 as Forties reached their target in the 36th over.

Opener Harold Minors and number three Gladwin Ingham both made 25 while new singing Kevin Greaves (19 not out) and Oscar Andrade (10 not out) completed the job for Forties. Left-arm bowler Worrell Bean (three for 40) and Cory Smith (two for 31) were the pick of the Stars attack.

Simroy Crosdale (three for 12), Junior Lindo (three for 13) and Derek Golding (two for 18) scythed through the Sandys Community Youth Club batting -- only Raymond Burchall and Quinton Burchall with 18 each reached double figures -- and the west enders were dismissed for 80 in 19 overs.

Openers Michael Campbell (run out for 27) and Ben Alexander (13) gave Jamaican Association a good start and Sehwell Millwood (15 not out) and Ian Coke (10 not out) secured victory in just 14 overs.