Spring Garden Cavaliers have drawn clear of rivals Forties at the top of the Commercial Cricket League after Forties’ match against North Village was controversially abandoned as a draw at rain-hit Garrison Field, sparking a war of words between the two clubs over the condition of the astroturf pitch.Village say it was wet and unsafe to continue after a near 20-minute downpour while Forties say the abandonment has cost them the league title.Ten-man Cavaliers thrashed bottom club BC Allrounders by seven wickets at rain-free Shelly Bay to open up a five-point lead on Forties with only one match remaining.Cavaliers, the defending champions, can seal the title against Village on July 24 or sooner if Forties fail to beat or gain a winning draw against third-placed Jamaican Association this weekend.Cavaliers batsman Barry Richards said the title race was far from over.“We’ve still got Village to play. We’re seriously down on bowling some of our main bowlers are away or injured.”The downpour halted Forties midway through their run chase in a match reduced to 36 overs because of a late start, with both sides taking five points after the game was called off.Skipper Simon Jones was unbeaten on 29 in Forties’ 60 for two from 18.2 overs in reply to Village’s 155 for three, led by Rudy Smith’s 58 not out from 76 balls, including three sixes and three fours, and 48 from skipper Allen Walker, Brian Holdipp taking three for 36 from 12 overs.“What a miserable bunch,” fumed Forties’ spokesman Gordon Campbell afterwards.“The match was drawn when Village declined to return to the field after a shower on the pretence that the pitch was unsafe.“It was purely a ploy to prevent Forties winning the title.”But Walker hit back, saying: “The rain came down at approximately 6.15pm. We went back out at approximately 6.36pm to evaluate the carpet. We went back for the second time at 7.05pm when we (skippers) agreed to five points.“As much as Gordon wanted to play the game I do believe he had no consideration for the safety of the players who had to run up and bowl, let alone their own safety!“Even as he was saying the carpet was okay to play on (after the downpour) water was still coming out of the carpet. All players saw the water coming out of the carpet besides Gordon.“The second time I went out with Simon to evaluate to carpet. I demonstrated that my foot was still slipping, sliding, not able to get a grip on the carpet as I demonstrated the action of the bowler’s front foot standing still, so what would have happen if our quicker bowlers were running up and bowling?“Also take into consideration he kept saying the umpire should be making the decision. His umpire, Harold Minors, saw that the carpet was wet. In addition he said once the carpet dried with 17.4 overs remaining it would be dark bad light.“The captains agreed to five points at 7.05pm (approx). At that time it started to sprinkle again.“Is it our fault because they said they had to play the game at all means because they needed to win if they wanted to win the league? I think it is unfair for someone to jeopardise the safety of players for their own self-gratification to win at all cost.”Added Walker: “Please note most of Forties players did not show up until after 1pm (scheduled start is 12.30pm). We started the game at 1.27pm when I said we would reduce the game by 12 overs (six per team). Simon did not want to reduce the overs. North Village had a team to start the game at 12.30pm, they only had one person (Ernest McCallan). Then they had to set up the field. If they were interested in a result we should have started on time. The weather forecast had rain for the day.”Asked for further comment, Campbell said: “We were on the field ready to play a full ten minutes before their batsmen and umpires appeared. At every water break we had to wait five minutes for them to appear, whether batting or bowling.“Water breaks were at least 15 minutes. Allen at the crease is worse than (England’s) Jonathan Trott. Gloves off, gloves on. Survey the field. That guy moved a step! Survey the field again, etc.“It’s true that our team was late and is too often and for that I apologise, but there is no doubt (in my mind) that the desire to punish us for being late and to deny us the title was a greater motivation than safety. They are very good at saying ‘rules is rules’ but only when it suits them. They seem to forget a downpour at Rangers when we went back out and played in worse conditions in a very similar situation.“Anyway, I say all this in love. Now that I have it off my chest I feel better.”Jones, who is filling in for Campbell as skipper while he recovers from injury, said: “It was not a great end to the game to be honest but I don’t want to dwell on it.“It was a must-win match for us so for the weather to intervene like it did was a big blow.“The draw basically hands Spring Garden the league title if they win the following weekend but there are some things you can’t do much about.“Our bowlers did well to restrict Village to 150-odd and we had got ourselves into a decent position when the rain came.“We would have backed ourselves to knock off the rest of the runs if we had been given the chance.“With hindsight, we probably should have gone after the game at an earlier stage but having said the Village bowlers were really tough to get away.“We’ve had a great season this year it’s just a real shame that the weather has scuppered our chances of taking the title.”In a match reduced to 40 overs a side at Shelly Bay because of a late start, Cavaliers made light of their victory target of 206 after restricting BC Allrounders to 205 for seven, highlighted by opener Dano Outerbridge’s 95, which contained 11 fours and a six, 33 from Carton Smith and 20 from Dion Wainwright.Man of the match Jeff DeSilva was the pick of the Cavaliers attack, claiming three for 34 from ten overs.DeSilva then made an unbeaten 76 and skipper Dave Greenidge 73 as Cavaliers coasted to 206 for two in the 23rd over.Greenidge was the more dominant of the opening pair, who each struck 12 fours and a six, before he fell with the total 108 in the 12th over. James Pace made 39.