Barry Richards smashed 63 from 22 balls to help guide Spring Garden Cavaliers to victory over Group B rivals Jamaican Association in a high-scoring match in the second round of matches of the Commercial Cricket League's League Cup using a Twenty20 format.

Leaders Hamilton Parish tightened their grip with a three-wicket win over North Village in Group A in which Forties ended a losing streak by thrashing newcomers Ernst & Young.

Western Stars' future in the competition was left in doubt after they turned up at Warren Simmons Community Field (WSCF) with only a handful of players and defaulted their Group B match against BC Allrounders.

The Cavaliers (formerly West Indian Association) and Jamaican Association turned on the calypso cricket at WSCF, scoring 335 runs between them, but left-hander Richards' swashbuckling knock, which contained seven sixes and four fours, swung the match Cavaliers' way as they reached their challenging target of 168 with four wickets and two overs to spare.

Chris Daley was unlucky to find himself on the losing side as he clouted five fours and three sixes in an unbeaten 62 from 35 balls in Jamaican Association's 167 for nine - opener Daniel Edwards chipped in with 32 - and then took three for 29 off four overs but was powerless to stop the charge by Cavaliers whose total was boosted by 29 from Courtney Weekes and 27 from Lloyd Morrison.

"We thought they had us there with that total," admitted skipper Richards, whose key bowlers were Jerry Callender (3-32) and Patrick Hamlett (2-21).

Unbeaten Parish handed Village their second successive defeat in a low-scoring match at Garrison Field, reaching their target of 81 with three wickets and seven balls to spare.

Skipper Reggie Benjamin topscored with an unbeaten 24 in Village's 80 for seven.

Irving Burgess was top scorer with 17 not out in Parish's 81 for seven after former Village all-rounder Ricky Hill went for nine - after taking two for ten in four - and his brother Corey, both former Cup Match stars, fell for 12.

Grant Smith was the pick of the Village attack with three for 16 from four overs while Kevin Bailey bagged two for 22 from four.

"With long grass in the outfield we thought with 80 on the board we could still win but things didn't go according to plan," said Benjamin.

"Even so, they lost seven wickets and dropped catches cost us at the end of the day.

"Credit to Parish, though. They played better than us and deserved to win." Village have all to play for in their final group match against Forties in the late game at WSCF this weekend.

"We'll try to rebound for the next one or we're out," added Benjamin.

Newcomers Ernst & Young, winners over Village the previous week, proved no match for Forties, who overcame the loss of early wickets to claim a four-wicket victory with more than seven overs to spare at Garrison Field.

Ernst & Young's modest 56 all out in 17.4 overs included six ducks with skipper Karunakar Kaushik playing a lone hand with 28 not out.

Man of the match Yatin Gawas, who later topscored in Forties' 57 for six with five fours in his 23, claimed four for five in three overs while acting skipper Braxton Stowe took three for nine from four.

Warren Smith took three for 14 from four and Kaushik two for seven from two for Ernst & Young.

"We bowled very well. We had a good mix of medium pace and spin," said Forties' David Campbell whose side began the season with defeats against Village in the Memorial Trophy and Parish in the League Cup.

"I think Ernst & Young became frustrated because of the good bowling and tried to hit their way out of trouble.

"Yatin bowled and batted well. He hit their first change bowler for four boundaries in one over which really boosted our chase after we lost some quick wickets after reversing our batting order to give our youngsters a bat."

Teenager Aaron Logie (one for nine from 1.4 overs) claimed his first wicket for Forties - and his father Gus, the island's national coach, was on hand to cheer him on.