North Village, last season’s runners-up, forged three points clear at the top of the Commercial Cricket League following a three-wicket victory over Jamaican Association.

But hot on their heels are Hamilton Parish and St. David’s, who are both three points adrift, with defending champions Forties back in fourth place.

Aaron Crockwell narrowly missed out on a second successive century for St. David’s, hammering 98 as the East Enders had the better of a high-scoring drawn match against West Indian Association.

“We’re having a blast,” said St. David’s Todd Fox whose side returned to the league this season after a year’s break.

Ten-man Fine Leg Byes were blown away by Hamilton Parish pacer Chris Caisey’s five-wicket haul at Sea Breeze Oval while Forties completed a six-wicket win over newcomers BC Allrounders thanks to medium pacer Blake West’s four-wicket haul from a 21-over spell and an unbeaten half century by all-rounder Rohan Davis.

JA fought hard after being dismissed for 154 in the 37th over at Royal Naval Field but seasoned campaigner Ricky Hill’s 45 guaranteed maximum points for Village, who could be hard to dislodge from top spot with clubs playing each other once rather than twice in the league this season.

Norman Godwin (40) and former skipper Junior Lindo (33) were the main contributors to the JA total, Rudy Smith snapping up four for 43 in 9.3 overs.

Skipper Reggie Benjamin chipped in with two for 21 from seven and Hill two for 27, also from seven.

Despite Tony Parks’ three for 45 in 11.1 overs, Village sealed maximum points after easing to 157 for seven in the 33rd over, other useful scores coming from Dion Ball, jr (25), Ernest McCallan (23) and Benjamin (20 not out).

“We’re introducing a lot of new players and it’s costing us at present as they settle in, but I’m sure we’ll pick it up,” said JA’s manager Glenmore Barrett.

Crockwell, who scored an unbeaten 110 against JA the previous week, clouted eight sixes and three fours in his 98 — and later bowled 18 overs — at Garrison Field before he was caught on the long-off boundary by skipper Barry Richards.

“It would have gone for a six if I hadn’t caught it,” said Richards.

Crockwell’s knock guided St. David’s to an imposing 243 in 41 overs, despite pacer Freston Hurdle’s five for 52 from 13 overs and Rowan Ramotar’s two for 53 from eight, but they had to settle for seven points for a winning draw as WIA (three points) replied with 179 for six in 43 overs, Angelo Cannonier claiming four for 45 from 14 overs, while Crockwell, who shared the new ball, took one for 55.

Gregory Outerbridge (31 not out), Kameron Fox (31) and Angelo Cannonier (22) helped pile on the runs for St. David’s but WIA held firm thanks to 52 from Richard Gould, a newly-arrived Englishman, and 47 from Lloyd Morrison, the former JA batsman.

FLB, who switched their match from Shelly Bay to Sea Breeze Oval at the 11th hour, were skittled out for 63 in 21 overs as Caisey claimed five for 25 from 11 overs and Jamie Smith three for 31 from seven with only Jeff DeSilva (23) offering any resistance.

Parish completed the eight-wicket demolition job by knocking off the runs in 15 overs, Shannon Warner hitting an unbeaten 29 while Mike Burgess retired after making 24.

“Only two of our guys had had a hit in Evening League games this year and some hadn’t been in the middle in 18 months or more,” said FLB’s Angus Lynn. “The lack of preparation showed and we got thumped.”

BC Allrounders enjoyed two half-century partnerships but were restricted to 142 for seven at Shelly Bay by Forties, who coasted to 144 for four in the 29th over.

Shejuan Swan, who made 50, added 60 for the fourth wicket with Derek Smith (17) and 54 for the fifth wicket with left-hander Worrell Bean whose 42 included two sixes.

West’s marathon stint earned him four for 58 while Davis took three for 22 from nine overs before orchestrating Forties’ victory with 11 fours in his run-a-ball 76 that was full of cuts and fluent drives, Yatin Gawas (23 not out) joining him in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 41.

Bean took two for 30 from seven overs and Derek Smith two for 32, also from seven.