when they were held to a draw by Forties but stretched their lead at the top to seven points after outpointing their title rivals.

Defending champions Leg Trappers enjoyed mixed fortunes, losing by five wickets to Jamaican Association, but they gained 10 points after an appeal against St. David's for fielding an ineligble player the previous Sunday was upheld by the league.

Watford have now opened up a 14-point lead on Leg Trappers but the clubs meet in a crucial match at Nationals this Sunday that could have a major bearing on the outcome of the title race.

In last Sunday's other match West Indian Association, boosted by a half century by Andy Boyce and a five-wicket haul by medium pacer Jerry Callender, beat Devonshire Stars by two wickets at Shelly Bay despite a fine all-round performance by left-hander Worrell Bean.

The scheduled match between North Village and St. David's was postponed until this Sunday when both clubs were due to have a bye.

Watford ran up more than 200 for the fourth successive time at the Royal Naval Field after winning the toss and electing to bat but they were thwarted in pursuit of their fifth successive win by Forties who held on for a "losing'' draw after their innings was undermined by left-arm swing bowler David DeSilva.

A second-wicket stand of 68 between opener Terry Ward, dropped twice on his way to 46, which contained three fours and three sixes, and DeSilva, who made 33, laid the foundation for Watford's 220 for nine.

Quinton Burch (38), Terence Corday (31) and Troy Berkeley (19) helped step up the tempo as Watford piled on 80 runs in the final 10 overs. Leg-break bowler Hugh Hollis snapped up three for 50 while skipper Gordon Campbell took two wickets in his second spell and Gladwin Ingham also chipped in with two wickets in his three overs.

Forties, benefiting from a second-wicket partnership of 50 between opener Tim Bridges and Ingham (24), were 35 runs ahead of Watford at the halfway point but DeSilva (three for 38 from 12 overs) ended their victory hopes after going for 23 runs in his first four overs by bowling Bridges for 48, which included nine fours, Campbell (22) and also claiming the wicket of Gerald Simons, Jr.

Terence Corday took two for 44 and Burch also bagged two wickets but Hollis (17 not out) and Oscar Andrade (six not out) held firm as Watford used nine bowlers in a bid for victory. When Andrade pulled Timmy Simons' first ball of the final over for six, Watford skipper Terry Corday accepted the draw and led his players off, Forties closing at 159 for seven.

Leg Trappers began the day knowing their appeal against St. David's playing teenager Angelo Cannonier -- son of club stalwart George Cannonier -- against them on June 11, a match the east enders won by 29 runs, had been upheld but they tumbled to a comprehensive five-wicket defeat at the hands of Jamaican Association at Nationals.

The inclusion of Cannonier broke Commercial League rules because he had played the first two matches of the season for his Premier side, although acting skipper Eddie Lamb said later he was unaware of this.

"It's too bad. I can only apologise,'' regular skipper George O'Brien, who was off the Island at the time, said yesterday. "I've impressed on everybody that we have to follow the Commercial League rules.'' Leg Trappers, buoyed by a fourth-wicket stand of 71 between opener Gary Knight, who hit six fours in his 42, and Justin Freisenbruch, whose 43 contained four boundaries, reached 151 for eight after being sent in as Michael Campbell picked up three for 48 from 18 overs and Simroy Crosdale two for 51 from 15.

Leg Trappers, whose attack was below strength with key all-rounder Graham Strange and left-arm slow bowler James Swan absent, were further handicapped when David Hosier, who earlier made 19 not out, limped out of the attack with an injured finger.

Jamaican Association wobbled at 42 for three but a fourth-wicket stand of 81 between former skipper Ian Coke and Presley Millwood, who hit four boundaries apiece in their respective knocks of 41 and 40, set up the victory with nine overs to spare. Knight followed up his good knock by claiming three for 39 while opening bowler Colin Scaife took two for 56.

Devonshire Stars' challenging 167 in 37.1 overs was built around number six Bean's 48, which included five fours and three sixes, an unbeaten 26 by Lemar Caines and 26 from skipper Derek Smith. Callender's five for 49 came from 12.1 overs while Stan Francis took three for 25 and Olwin Clarke two for 41.

Opener Barry Richards blasted six fours in a whirlwind 25 to get WIA off to a flying start before Boyce, who has returned to the club following two seasons with North Village, stroked four fours and two sixes in his 56 and Olwin Clarke made 32 but it needed the cool heads of skipper John McConnie (10 not out) and Edwin Wickham (five not out) to guide their side home.