League on Sunday when they forced an unlikely draw against Safeguard Security and defending champions PHC slipped to defeat at the hands of North Village.

West Indian Association joined Village and PHC on 20 points by beating Devonshire Stars by 62 runs while St Michael bounced back from a heavy defeat the previous week to pull off a stunning six-wicket victory over Sandys Sports Club in a high-scoring match.

Injury-hit Forties, who played with only nine men, piled up 271 for two against Safeguard at Shelly Bay thanks largely to a superb unbeaten 139 by skipper Gordon Campbell.

Campbell, who struck two sixes and 18 fours, shared an impressive second wicket stand of 163 with James Thomas and an unbeaten third wicket partnership of 92 with Allan Lee, who made an unbeaten 33. Thomas hit six fours in a fine knock of 85 but later limped off with a strained side to add to Forties' injury problems.

Opening bowler Oliver Franks, who broke his right thumb while batting against St Michael the previous week, fielded as a substitute for Thomas in the closing stages but is expected to be out of action for several weeks along with Ivan Clifford who broke his right index finger in the opening match.

Forties lost an early wicket and would have been in deeper trouble had wicketkeeper Dennis Gordon accepted a straightforward chance from Thomas before he had reached double figures. But the Campbell-Thomas partnership flourished and when Thomas fell in the 35th Lee joined in the run feast.

Safeguard, hammered for 270 for five the previous week by Sandys, conceded 130 runs in the final 11 overs, including 57 in the last five.

For the second week running Forties stunned their opponents by grabbing two wickets in the first over, Andrew Paynter removing Harold Minors and Adrian Jennings with his fifth and six balls. Paynter, who finished with four for 40, then reduced Safeguard to 12 for three by dismissing Barry Walkes in his third over.

But opener Herman James and Dennis Gordon put Safeguard back on an even keel with a stand of 92 before Gordon was out for 62, having reached his 50 in 40 minutes and hitting two sixes and six fours in all. James was fifth out at 156 for a patient 63 which contained four fours.

Safeguard appeared to settle for a draw when Gordon went in the 19th over but there was a hectic finish when Mark Melvin took off his wicketkeeping pads to snatch two wickets in the final over, including Alex Walker's for 47, as Safeguard closed on 188 for eight.

PHC came unstuck against Village at Warwick Secondary, losing by 33 runs after dismissing their soccer rivals for 153.

Lyle Millett was PHC's destroyer-in-chief, snapping up seven for 55, while skipper Cal Waldron chipped in with three for 44.

Opener William (Boxhead) Minors completed his second consecutive half century but found no real support as Cal Smith sent PHC crashing to 120 all out with six for 27. Minors struck one six, one five and six fours in his 68.

Best victory of the day came from St Michael who reached 249 for four in 41.1 overs after Sandys had declared at 246 for six in 40 overs.

Openers Leon Dickinson and Michael Campbell, both out for ducks against Forties, put St Michael on the path to victory with a valuable stand of 130.

Dickinson hit one six and 14 fours in his 87 while Campbell struck one six and eight fours in his 61. Ian Coke, who earlier took two for 16, made 43.

Paul Ross, who took two for 44, topscored for Sandys with 58, which contained two sixes and seven fours, and other useful contributions came from skipper Terry Corday (run out for 49), Terry Ward (45 not out) and Michael Corday (42).

Opener John McConnie was the architect of West Indian Association's 156 by cracking one six and 10 fours in his 91 before being last man out at Garrison Field against Devonshire Stars whose new player Wade Tihema took four for 23.

Gary Ascento had three for 53.

Slow bowler Joslyn Douglas undermined the Stars innings by claiming six for 36, the only real resistance coming from skipper Dion Ball who hit 36 in Stars' 94 all out.