A year ago, Braxton Stowe missed the final of the Commercial Cricket League' s prestigious Knockout Cup because he was in Boston having a major operation.

Forties narrowly lost that match to North Village but on Sunday the 55 year old produced a masterful all-round performance at Lord's to guide his side to their 14th Knockout Cup title after Fine Leg Byes had threatened to steal the show in their first appearance in a final of fluctuating fortunes that had a distinct flavour of the subcontinent.

Man of the match Stowe took two for 29 from seven overs, had a hand in two key run-outs and then sealed victory with a two to complete his 50 as Forties recovered from a perilous start to win by five wickets with more than seven overs to spare. Forties' skipper Gordon Campbell called it a "gem of an innings".

Stowe's partner in a match-winning fifth-wicket stand of 104 that turned the game on its head was 26-year-old Indian Yatin Gawas whose 80-minute 74 from 61 balls included 13 wristy fours on both sides of the wicket. Stowe's patient unbeaten 50, from 68 balls, included seven boundaries.

Sri Lankan slow bowler Indiga Perera, who opened the attack, had Forties in all sorts of trouble as they set out to overhaul FLB's 164, claiming the first four wickets at a cost of 12 runs before finishing with figures of four for 36 from eight overs.

Perera bowled Harold Minors for five, took a sharp return catch to remove Rohan Davis for one, and bowled Granville Bennett for one as the ball spun back onto the stumps to leave Forties reeling at ten for three before striking again when he trapped Brian Brangman lbw for ten 28 runs later.

Although Gawas, a 26-year-old pastry chef from Goa, fell to a return catch by skipper Troy Berkeley at 142, Stowe and David DeSilva (eight not out) eased Forties home.

Earlier, DeSilva, who missed Forties' heavy defeat to West Indian Association in the previous week's League Cup final, put the brakes on FLB's fast start, removing hard-hitting danger men Mervin Muckler and Craig Smith on his way to outstanding figures of two for 11 from eight.

Indiga Perera was the first to go when he was caught behind by wicketkeeper Minors off Blake West for seven in the third over with 19 on the board.

Muckler, a Jamaican who has lived on the island for four years, struck three fours and a six in his 26, before he played around a straight ball from DeSilva just as he threatened to cut loose.

Left-hander Smith struck five fours and a towering six in his 34, adding 25 with Sri Lankan Jeff DeSilva, before holing out to Gawas, who took a running catch at long-on.

Slow bowler Brangman made another breakthrough at 87 when he took a smart left-handed return catch off David Gibbons (10) and FLB suffered another big setback at 111 when Simon Lambert (11) was run out by Stowe from Davis' quick throw from gully.

Forties continued to make rapid inroads as Angus Lynn (one) was stumped off Stowe and Berkeley, Ishwar Narayanan and Janaka Perera all went for ducks, Berkeley falling to a fine diving catch by Minors off Davis (two for 24 from five).

Forties have a habit of allowing large last-wicket stands ¿ West Indian Association twice put on more than 50 in successive weeks - and DeSilva and last man Ajit Tiwary flourished, adding 29 before DeSilva was run out by a direct throw by Stowe attempting a second run with 15 balls unused. DeSilva 's classy 51 from 75 balls included four fours and a six.

Said skipper Campbell: "It was a great team effort. No one panicked when FLB were steaming along at a run a ball and the wickets temporarily dried up.

And, likewise, no one panicked when we were four down for not many. "We knew that on a good pitch like this with a fast outfield, a par score was well over 200 and there were runs there for those who put their heads down."

Campbell paid tribute to Stowe, saying: "Brackie's innings was an absolute gem. He saved us as he has many times this year when we were in trouble. He took no chances and took the runs as they came." Campbell said Gawas "lived a little dangerously at first but eventually settled down to a well-paced innings".

He said DeSilva produced a great spell of bowling, the spinners dried up the runs in the middle overs and Minors turned in his best performance of the season behind the stumps.

"He had a good stumping and took two catches, one of which (Berkeley's) was the play of the day." A dejected Berkeley said: "I'm disappointed. I expected to win. My plan was to be aggressive at the beginning after I won the toss but David DeSilva tied us down.

"Braxton and Yatin batted well but having three ducks and two run-outs really hurt us."