Commercial Cricket League title on the last weekend.

But their triumph came only after securing a tense, three-wicket victory over Forties in a low-scoring match at National Sports Club that produced just 159 runs in 79.4 overs.

Runners-up Jamaican Association, who finished two points adrift of Leg Trappers, also had to overcome an attack of nerves before beating bottom club Public Transportation Board by three wickets at Shelly Bay field in Sunday's final round of league matches.

Meanwhile, dethroned champions Watford Sports Club leapfrogged over Forties and North Village to claim third place with their second victory by default in successive weeks.

Their scheduled opponents, West End Warriors, called off the game on Friday but team spokesman Leon Eve said yesterday he hoped to field a side against Leg Trappers in the first round of the knockout.

Chasing Forties' modest 79, Leg Trappers slumped to 31 for six in the face of tight bowling by skipper Gordon Campbell (three for 32 from 21 consecutive overs) and Brian Holdipp (two for 32 from 16 overs) but skipper Graham Strange and Pete Norris, who survived an early chance, edged their way towards victory with a crucial, seventh-wicket stand of 32.

Leg Trappers still needed 17 to win when Norris played on to Alan Lamb, who had earlier dropped him at mid-off, but top all-rounders Ian Smith and Strange teamed up to frustrate Forties and grind out victory in the 43rd over.

Forties, who elected to bat first on a slow pitch, coupled with a slow outfield, reached 39 for two but they were rocked by two run-outs -- Lamb and David Hyland -- in the 18th over.

At 70 for five, Forties still looked capable of posting a challenging total but Roddy Moore's gentle medium-pacers engineered a collapse that saw the last five wickets tumble for nine runs. Moore finished with four for 20 from 8.1 overs while Smith took two for 15 from 11 overs.

When Leg Trappers replied, opener Gary Knight began in typically aggressive fashion, surviving a difficult catch to slip, but then ran himself out going for an ambitious second run, failing to beat Oscar Andrade's throw from fine leg.

Wickets continued to tumble but Strange, who finished unbeaten on 27, and Smith (seven not out) kept their nerve to steer Leg Trappers to the title in only their second season in the league.

"We're delighted,'' said team member James Broadbent. "It was only fitting that our two best players (Strange and Smith) did the business at the end. Our success has been due to the fact we have had a bigger and stronger squad this season so we've been able to put out a good team each week.'' Jamaican Association, who banked on Leg Trappers faltering at the final hurdle, squeezed home against PTB at Shelly Bay against a backdrop of noisy celebrations by Jamaican nationals belatedly marking their 36th anniversary of independence.

PTB slumped to 44 for seven after being sent in -- David Gibbs and Michael Campbell each snapped up three wickets -- but Wally Manders, batting at number 10, helped lift the total to 103 with a knock of 30.

Phillip Bailey and Wayne Frost both claimed three wickets as the Jamaicans crashed to 39 for six but although a seventh wicket fell at 78, Cal Grimes (38 not out) and Junior Lindo (12 not out) swept their side home in the 23rd over.

Club president Winston Laylor made 20.

There was a note of controversy when PTB refused -- wrongly, according to the laws of the game -- to let Gibbs bat because he had earlier walked off the field at the end of his 15-over bowling stint after a heated argument with his captain Norman Godwin.

The spotlight now switches to Sunday's first round of the 40 overs-a-side knockout in which bowlers are limited to eight overs each.

Chris Cox, who put his Commercial place in jeopardy by turning out in a recent BCBC First Division match for Somerset, has been cleared by the league committee to play for Jamaican Association.

The Jamaicans, last season's losing finalists, are away to Forties while cup-holders Watford Sports Club take on St. David's, North Village meet PTB and West End Warriors host Leg Trappers.

GRAHAM STRANGE -- Unbeaten 27 in trying conditions helped his side to their maiden Commercial League championship.