his maiden century on Sunday as Forties enjoyed the better of a rare drawn match against old Commercial League rivals Watford Sports Club at Nationals.

Elsewhere, leaders Hemisphere Leg Trappers rolled over seven-man Public Transportation Board, North Village beat Police Recreation Club and there was heartbreak for lowly West End Warriors who came within a whisker of pulling off a shock victory over title-chasing Jamaican Association.

Simons, a 21-year-old left-hander, survived two chances as he hammered four sixes and four fours in a sparkling unbeaten 104, joining up with Alan Lamb to spur Forties to 205 for three after they were sent in. All-rounder Lamb's contribution to an unbeaten fourth-wicket stand of 125 was 48 not out which included three fours and two sixes.

Watford, who started one short, were reduced to nine men when skipper Terry Corday showed his teenage son Trevor the "red card'' and sent him off for persistent verbal abuse late in the Forties innings as the attack wilted.

Earlier Blake West struck twice in an over to leave Forties 80 for three before Simons and a hobbling Lamb, who was allowed a runner after chipping a bone in his foot at home earlier in the week, took over.

Opener Michael Corday led a spirited Watford reply as they reached 69 for two in the first hour but when he was well caught one-handed at midwicket by Andrew Paynter for 55 (four fours), making the the total 120 for six, the west enders called off the run chase.

Veteran George Rock (15 not out) and Daran Davis (13 not out) battled to see out the final 10 overs, Watford closing at 146 for six. Lamb was Forties' most successful bowler, taking three for 25 from 15 overs.

Third-placed North Village completed the double with a hard-earned five-wicket win over Police Recreation Club at Police Field after dismissing the home side for 112, despite an unbeaten 40 by opener Jermaine Tucker, a former Somerset player, who later snapped up three for 40 with his right-arm spinners.

Fast bowler Derek Bell and medium pacer Mike Young did the bulk of the damage for Village, claiming four wickets apiece. Young followed up with 20 as Village reached their target in 40 overs, other useful contributions coming from Mike Levon (22 not out) and Alex Virgil (22).

Ronald Gibbons was top scorer with 48 (three fours and a six), 10-man West End Warriors totalling 153 against nine-man Jamaican Association at Garrison Field as Michael Campbell took four for 42 and Gibbs, later voted man of the match, three for 58.

But Gibbons turned villain when he spilled a catch as the last pair of Gibbs (26 not out) and Thomas Ball added 38 to see their side home in a nail-biting finish.

With the Jamaicans still 14 runs from victory Ball (10 not out) skied the ball to mid-off where Gibbons juggled the catch before putting it down. Unlucky bowler was slow left-armer Vernon Eve, who finished with four for 59 after making 26 earlier.

Earlier David Jarrett (two for 35) rocked the Jamaicans by having skipper Norman Godwin caught for a duck with the first ball of the innings. Cal Grimes was top scorer with 28 and Ian Coke and Errol Wraye (who has changed his name from George Fisher) both chipped in with 20.

At Shelly Bay, David Hosier, Graham Strange and Stuart Drake picked up two wickets each as Leg Trappers completed the double over Public Transportation Board, bundling them out for 54 and then knocking off the runs for the loss of three wickets in under 15 overs.

Rick Morris topscored with 29 in his first game of the season while Randy Butler took two for 14 for PTB.