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Knockout final is too close to call

North Village and Ernst & Young, who finished third and fourth respectively in the league, will bring the curtain down on the 2009 Commercial Cricket League season when they meet in tomorrow's 40-overs-a-side knockout final at Police Field, starting at noon.

Village have won the knockout final only once since joining the league in the early 1990s ¿ they narrowly beat Forties at Southampton Oval three years ago ¿ while Ernst & Young have shown rapid improvement in their second season. Six of their team also play for Tuff Dogs, who won last weekend's Evening League Premier Division knockout title.

Village, who beat league champions Forties twice this season and also ousted the defending champions in the first round of the knockout, welcome back key bowler Reggie Benjamin after a three-week break in his native Grenada.

But Village skipper Allen Walker is not taking his opponents lightly.

"We are looking forward to the final. Ernst & Young have played very well over the last few games which will reflect in our approach as we will not be taking them lightly.

"We have had a good season so far in which we came up short in the regular season as far as winning the league. However, I am confident our team will be going into the game with determination and hunger to come away with a result that will add a sense of accomplishment in capping our season off.

"In addition, we will be at full strength with the return of our opening bowler Reggie Benjamin. He will provide that extra experience and leadership that we will need in the finals."

Ernst & Young's Indian skipper Karunakar Kaushik, who blasted a century against Village in May, said: "Having played on the astroturf the entire season (at Shelly Bay, Garrison Field and Warren Simmons Community Field) and now moving to turf is going to have its own fun.

"We are prepared for it and I am sure the Ernst & Young team will come out with flying colours.

"We have enjoyed playing in the Commercial League. It was really competitive and gave us an opportunity to be involved with one of the best cricket leagues on the island.

"The players are all excited about the final of the knockout cup and we are determined to win this weekend," added Kaushik, who hails from the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Kaushik's 155 off just 70 balls against Village was 11 runs short of breaking St. David's batsman Lionel Cann's record score in the Commercial League.