More heroics from teenager Edward DeSilva helped Forties beat Spring Garden Cavaliers in a close finish for the second time this season and knock them off the top of the Commercial Cricket League table.

Forties, who had surrendered the lead the previous week, are now three points clear of Cavaliers with three matches remaining in what appears to be a two-horse race for the title as Jamaican Association lost further ground after going down to Ernst & Young. Third-placed North Village had the day off.

In May, DeSilva struck a huge six to give Forties a nail-biting two-wicket win over Cavaliers with just one ball remaining at Warren Simmons Community Field.

On Sunday, DeSilva, who turned 16 last week, weighed in with an unbeaten 46 from 51 balls as Forties squeezed home by three wickets with seven balls to spare at Shelly Bay, despite a superb six-wicket haul by Craig Smith.

A long outfield again made scoring difficult.

"Edward produced a superbly paced innings," said Forties' skipper Gordon Campbell.

"He was watchful at first, then exploded in the last eight overs during which we got 65 runs. His last nine balls went for 22 runs. He was aided by useful cameos of 15 in 13 balls by his dad (David) and 15 not out in nine balls by Blake (West)."

Forties, who won the toss, had Cavaliers reeling at 71 for six in the 23rd over but an unbeaten 58, including two sixes and two fours, from Sri Lankan Jeff DeSilva and useful contributions from former Cup Match star Adrian King and Fernando Paul, who each made 21, lifted their side to a challenging 173 for eight in their 42 overs.

Pick of the Forties attack were West, with three for 36 from eight overs, and David DeSilva, who took two for 23 from 11.

"DeSilva, Paul and King batted them out of trouble, aided a little by our bowlers who started to pitch too short," said Campbell, who admitted his team thought getting 174 was a "tall order on that outfield".

A losing draw appeared the best Forties could hope for at 93 for five, which included 28 from number three Allen Richardson, with 13 overs remaining ¿ but young DeSilva had other ideas, although the turning point of the match came when he enjoyed a large slice of luck.

With only a dozen or so runs to his name at the time, DeSilva escaped when Barry Richards and Dave Greenidge collided as they converged on a catch between mid-on and mid-off.

"We both ran across but I didn't see Dave and nobody called," said Richards, who had to go off after spraining two fingers and injuring his left shoulder in the collision. Chris Clarke came on as substitute.

Cavaliers, whose two main strike bowlers Steve Diamond and Trevor Haynes are off the island, drafted in King and fellow pace bowler Chris Caisey for their first games of the season. Both bowled ten overs but without success as Smith wheeled away at one end, claiming six for 49 from 13.5 overs.

Cavaliers' skipper Richard Foulds said defeat was "disappointing".

He added: "It would be nice to win a toss against them some time and see how things would pan out if we were to chase rather than set a total.

"I do think that the Commercial League rules and points system heavily favour the side batting last, evidenced by the fact that the team that wins the toss almost always fields first.

"That is not meant as a Pontingesque whinge, just a fact, and that is to take nothing away from Forties.

"Forties were clearly the better side on the day. They held all their catches, bowled cleverly and set their fields well. Their run chase was well timed and executed. Congratulations to them.

"I would like to make special mention of two of our players ¿ Jeff DeSilva, who made 58 not out, playing through an ankle injury, and Craig Smith, who bowled an unbroken spell of almost 14 overs, took six wickets and didn't concede a boundary until fatigue set in in his last over. That was an outstanding effort in the heat and humidity of Sunday."

At Warren Simmons Community Field, Jamaican Association rattled up 241 for eight after being sent in by Ernst & Young but the accountants avenged a seven-wicket defeat at Shelly Bay earlier in the season by replying with 242 for six in 38.4 overs. Michael Campbell took two for 23 from six overs and Daniel Edwards two for 23 from five.

The Jamaican total was built around an unbeaten 97 from Kevin Abrahams, including three sixes and five fours, as Palithapushpa Kumara claimed five for 72 from 16 overs. Keniek Wallen made 21.

Opener Chatura Abeysooriya led the Ernst & Young victory charge with an unbeaten 75, which included five fours and a six, and Kumara underscored his all-round ability by smashing three successive sixes in his 28-ball knock of 47. Kavitharan Selvarajah also struck three sixes in his 28.

"It was good to see the team come back with all their might, said skipper Karunakar Kaushik. "I always knew that we had the capability of making the difference and it was truly displayed by every member on the field, be it bowling, fielding or batting.

"Chatura, Kavi and Kumar played outstanding innings, equally supported by other team members. It was a good game overall and we enjoyed it.

"Both the teams played with a positive spirit and had fun, which is what this league is all about."

St. David's, meanwhile, face a league reprimand after defaulting for the second time this season, nobody showing up for their scheduled match against BC Allrounders at Garrison Field, a ground almost on the East End club's doorstep. St. David's defaulted against Forties at the end of May and the clubs are due to meet at Garrison Field this weekend.

Asked about Sunday's default, 44-year-old Darick DeSilva said: "I'm the oldest player in the team. I don't know what the young guys are thinking. Some said they were going to a christening. I've basically given up on them."