Fine Leg Byes continued their giant-killing act as prison officer Craig Smith shackled Commercial Cricket League leaders Forties to hand the advantage back to North Village with three rounds of matches remaining.

A week after beating title hopefuls Hamilton Parish by three wickets, FLB inflicted a five-wicket defeat on Forties which left Village ? 33-run winners over West Indian Association ? with a five-point lead going into the Cup Match weekend break.

Village, who beat Forties in their first clash in June, can virtually wrap up the league title for the second season running by beating their closest rivals when battle resumes on August 13.

Jamaican Association?s season of woe continued when they went down to Parish by 30 runs after playing two short.

FLB richly deserved Sunday?s win over Forties at the Royal Naval Field but for the second week running their victory was marked by controversy.

Against Parish the previous week, Parish players were convinced they had big-hitting all-rounder Smith stumped while on Sunday Forties were sure they had Jeff DeSilva run out in his 20s en route to 55 not out during a match-winning unbroken stand of 60 with man of the match Smith, who finished 38 not out and also claimed five for 31 in 16 overs. The previous week Smith took seven for 42 and made an unbeaten 42 against Parish.

Tight bowling helped FLB restrict Forties to 119 for nine after winning the toss and then reached their target with more than nine overs to spare.

Skipper Gordon Campbell topscored with 24 at number eight to help Forties top the 100 mark after sliding to 65 for six. Gladwin Ingham earlier made 21 while Janak Perera took two for 20 from five overs.

Forties had FLB 65 for five in reply ? Yatin Gawas taking three for 39 from 13 overs and Blake West two for 53 from 12 ? but found themselves a bowler short with David DeSilva away.

?I think this was the first time Fine Leg Byes have beaten us,? said skipper Campbell.

?FLB crafted a well-deserved victory. We were always in some trouble and had to rein in our run-scoring constantly as the wickets fell. The bowling was very tight, especially (skipper) Ishwar Narayan (one for 12 from nine overs) and Craig Smith in the middle of the innings.

?Several of our batsmen got starts but fell as they were getting going.?

Added Campbell when asked about Forties? title chances: ?Oh well, we?ll just have to win all the rest of our games.?

Long grass at Shelly Bay made batting difficult but North Village ran up 166 for seven after being sent in by WIA, Mike Levon (37 not out) and skipper Ricky Hill (34) leading the way.

For once Ricky Hoyte, whose average is now 101, fell cheaply against his former team-mates ? but it took a direct throw from the deep by Anthony Brathwaite to run him out for four at the non-striker?s end as he scampered for a second run.

Hoyte?s two previous Commercial knocks this season saw him rattle up an unbeaten 47 against Western Stars and an unbeaten 50 against Forties. He also made 81 not out in a Cup Match trial but as a visitor he is ineligible for this year?s classic.

Junior Watts was the pick of the WIA attack, claiming three for 51 from 12 overs. Adrian King, once among the fastest bowlers on the Island and here on holiday, opened the bowling and took one for 20 from six overs of gentle medium pace.

Watts also topscored in WIA?s 133 with five boundaries in his 36 at number six.

Hill took three for 33 from 8.5 overs and received solid support from Hoyte (two for 20 from eight), Reggie Benjamin (two for 27 from nine) and Rudy Smith (two for 45 from 10).

?We had the chance to win but just let it get away from us,? said WIA skipper Jerry Callender.

Jamaican Association dismissed Hamilton Parish for 132 at Garrison Field, where the grass was also long, but despite opener Chris Daley?s 49, which included two sixes and three fours, the handicap of playing two short proved too great as they collapsed from 87 for three to 102 all out in the 25th over.

Perry Simmons (34), skipper Irving Burgess (30) and Mike Burgess (27) provided the bulk of the runs for Parish, who were undone by the medium pace of Rowan Ramotar (five for 27 from 9.5 overs) and skipper Junior Lindo (four for 29 from eight).

The Burgesses were among the wickets as well, with Mike taking two for eight from 2.3 overs and Irving two for 10 from three while Chris Caisey took two for 27 from eight.