Spring Garden Cavaliers narrowed the gap at the top of the Commercial Cricket League with an emphatic eight-wicket win over St. David's after leaders Forties stumbled to a losing draw against defending champions Jamaican Association.

Cavaliers, completing the double over the East Enders, now trail Forties by only three points with a game in hand on their rivals, who have a bye this weekend.

North Village, meanwhile, stayed in the title race three points ahead of the Jamaicans with a crushing nine-wicket victory over Ernst & Young.

On a weekend of below-par totals, Cavaliers' Trevor Haynes and Forties' Hoyt Zuill took the bowling honours with six wickets apiece as clubs fired a volley of complaints over the state of the outfield at all three league venues – Shelly Bay, Garrison Field and Warren Simmons Community Field – where long grass has inhibited strokeplay in recent weeks.

"Garrison Field had obviously been visited by cows from the adjoining farm who had left a few calling cards on the outfield, but judging by the ankle-length grass they weren't very hungry," quipped Cavaliers' skipper Richard Foulds.

"The grass has to be cut because it is difficult to play good shorts and get many runs," said Village all-rounder Reggie Benjamin despite his side's easy win at Shelly Bay.

Forties' skipper Gordon Campbell described the outfield at Warren Simmons Community Field as "very grassy".

Zuill bowled a marathon unbroken spell of 20 overs, claiming six for 71 as Forties restricted Jamaican Association to 175 for eight, after the match was trimmed by two overs each because of a late start, but then needed Zuill and his last-wicket partner Randy Simmons to put up the shutters for the final seven overs to scrape three points from a losing draw at 144 for nine, a reversal of fortunes compared to the outcome of the clubs' first meeting in May.

The Jamaican total was built around useful contributions from Junior Lindo (36), opener Dean Richards (29), Presley Millwood (25), Keniek Wallen (24) and Daniel Edwards (22).

Although skipper Campbell made 35 at number one and Brian Brangman 36 at number six, Forties struggled to cope with Michael Campbell's lift and seam, the pacer claiming four for 34 from eight overs, while newcomer Donovan Ferron provided excellent support with three for 38 from 11.

"It was a thriller but we just couldn't get the last wicket," said Jamaican Association's manager Glenmore Barrett.

Skipper Campbell, who won the toss, paid tribute to Zuill, describing the veteran's 20-over stint as a "remarkable spell – he was as good at the end as at the beginning".

Zuill and Yatin Gawas (one for 47) bowled unchanged for the first 26 overs, pegging the Jamaicans to 91 for five.

Campbell said the Jamaicans batted "fairly sensibly" and were helped by half a dozen dropped catches, mostly off the persevering Zuill.

"When we batted, we just couldn't get partnerships going. Most of us got ourselves out. We felt all along we should win it but when the ninth wicket fell at 139 with seven overs left Hoyt and Randy had to put up the shutters. We were unhappy about a losing draw and I know Jamaican Association were very unhappy with a winning draw," he said.

In-form Haynes' six for 27 from 12.3 overs helped Cavaliers bundle out ten-man St. David's for 96 in the 26th over, only Desmond Crockwell with four sixes and a four in his 49 and Aaron Crockwell (22) offering any resistance.

Although recuperating Bermuda fast bowler George O'Brien, generating considerable pace off a three-yard run-up, bagged two for 29 from nine overs, Cavaliers reached their target in the 19th over after Donovan Livingston, whose 44 included three sixes and four fours, and David Gibbons (11) added 46 for the first wicket, Barry Richards finishing the job with three sixes in his unbeaten 21.

"Trevor again bowled beautifully into the wind, mixing short balls with length balls and swinging yorkers.

"His six wickets included four that were clean-bowled," said skipper Foulds.

"The best ball of the day was a wonderful in-swinging yorker to Aaron Crockwell."

Ten-man Ernst & Young were dismissed for 74 in the 32nd over of a 34-overs-a-side match after being sent in, with Kavitharan Selvarajah making 21 of his side's runs as the accountants were swept aside by Maurice Steede (three for 13 from five), Rudy Smith (three for 25 from 11) and Kevin Mallory, who took two for 15 from six.

Mike Payne and Ernest McCallan each made 26 not out and extras contributed 22 as Village cruised home with few alarms in 18 overs.

"The boundaries were stretched too far in this game and therefore it had to be a low-scoring game," said Ernst & Young skipper Karunakar Kaushik.

"North Village had a much improved bowling attack compared to our previous game (a high-scoring draw at the same venue).

"They bowled intelligently and wickets continued to fall at regular intervals from our end. They definitely deserved to win.

"We need to get some runs from the willow now. It's time for us to introspect, improve the performance and come back in the league with all our might.

"I am sure we will do well as the league progresses," added Kaushik, who made 155 in a winning draw when the teams first met in May.