Unbeaten leaders St. David's crushed Forties by 10 wickets, Chris Fleming carried his bat to engineer a Leg Trappers victory over West Indian Association while a seven-wicket haul by Jamaican Association's Rowan Ramotar condemned Devonshire Stars to their seventh successive defeat.

But one of the most bizarre matches in Commercial Cricket League history ended in farcical fashion after 50 balls at the Royal Naval Field when Watford Sports Club, who had only eight men, invoked a rarely enforced rule and refused to allow two North Village players who turned up late to play, leading to the abandonment of the game.

Points will hinge on the outcome of a league inquiry into the match.

According to league rules, players must be at the ground within an hour of the scheduled start of play - 12.30 p.m. - but normally captains are flexible and allow late players to take part as long as they turn up before the first water break.

When Sunday's game was halted, Village had progressed to 33 for one from 8.2 overs after being sent in, opener Michael Payne top-scoring with 23.

"If Watford are the first club to do this, so be it," said Watford's former skipper Terry Corday yesterday, denying the decision was influenced by the fact Watford were three short themselves.

"We're tired of teams turning up late week after week. We had to put our foot down and stop this nonsense." Village skipper Mike Levon was not present when the toss was taken at 1.05 but Corday said he had the agreement of Village's Dion Ball that only those players present at 1.30 would be allowed to play.

Watford had eight players and Village seven when the game started at 1.20. Levon arrived at 1.25, making it eight-a-side.

Two Village players, Derek Bell and Cleve Trott, arrived six overs into the match and soon afterwards asked if they could still play, forcing a halt to the innings and sparking heated discussions on both sides that lasted half an hour before the game was eventually called off.

According to Corday, the Village decision was: "If the whole team can't play, we're not playing on."

Village spokesman Wendell Lindsay said Watford were told that Bell and Trott would be late because they were playing golf at Belmont Golf Club in the morning in a fund-raiser to aid a sick club member.

"We keep talking about the spirit "Watford were too rigid not letting Bell and Trott play," he said. Levon added: "Dion Ball was batting when I got to the ground but he said nothing to me about an agreement allowing only those players present at 1.30 to play.

"Michael Corday said, `Let's play under protest and let the league sort it out later', but Terry was the only one who was adamant about it.

"This is taking the fun out of the league."

Meanwhile, St. David's completed the double over nine-man Forties at Lord's with embarrassing ease after the defending league and knockout champions were ripped apart by former Cup Match bowler Ken Pitcher. Forties, at one stage 10 for six , were all out for 53. An unbeaten 24 from veteran Allan Lee, which included four fours, lifted them past the 50 mark.

Pitcher finished with five for 18 while Shea Pitcher chipped in with two for eight. In reply St. David's raced to victory in 12.1 overs without loss as openers Jeff Pitcher (30) and Shea Pitcher (19) knocked off the runs without alarm.

Leg Trappers ended West Indian Association's four-match winning streak with a 41-run victory in an entertaining game at Police Field.

Leg Trappers' innings was built around opener Fleming who carried his bat for a superb unbeaten 79, including six fours.

Pick of the WIA attack were Liverpool (four for 34) and Junior Watts (four for 41).

Opener Barry Richards started in blistering fashion, cracking a six and six fours in the first seven overs as the West Indians raced to 58 for two.

Mark Wetherhill eventually bowled skipper Richards for 42, finishing with five for 29 from nine overs, while Colin Scaife picked up three for 58 and Strange two for eight as WIA subsided to 103 all out in the 28th over.

Medium pacer Ramotar's seven for 22 from 11.3 overs at Shelly Bay helped Jamaican Association register their second nine-wicket win of the season over Devonshire Stars.

Only Ralph Dill with 30 provided any resistance as Stars were dismissed for 87 in the 35th over before Chris Daley (41 not out) and Shefton Hall (21 not out) steered the Jamaicans home in the 20th over.