Forties claimed their easiest win of the season at the weekend when St. David's failed to show up for their game at Shelly Bay.

The default win moved Forties 11 points clear at the top of the Commerical League after nearest rivals Spring Garden Cavaliers could only manage a winning draw over North Village.

Cavaliers will view it as a missed opportunity having been put into bat by Village and then scoring 265 for seven in their 42 overs.

The evergreen Barry Richards led the way with a typically brutal 54 off just 27 balls. Richards smashed six sixes in his innings as well as hitting three fours.

He was ably supported by Dave Greenidge who scored a superb 60, while skipper Richard Foulds (29), Trevor Haynes (28) and Lloyd Morrison (39 not out) all added valuable runs.

Reggie Benjamin was the pick of the Village bowlers, claiming four wickets in his 12-over spell, and at the start of their chase, Village would have felt that 266 was a reachable total.

It looked even more getable once Mike Payne (60) and opening partner Dion Ball jnr (38) had put on 111 runs for the first wicket. Benjamin then hit a quickfire half-century as Village chipped away at the Cavaliers' total.

Benjamin's run out changed the entire complexion of the game and from charging a long at a high scoring rate, Village were reduced to nothing more than a crawl. The lack of depth in their batting forcing them to bat out the rest of their overs in the hope of at least getting something for their efforts.

Allen Walker (23) did his best to give Village's innings and air of respectability as it came to a close, but in the end they fell just short, scoring 236 for five from their 42 overs.

"The game was very competitive," said Benjamin, "and that is good for the older guys who want to have some fun on a Sunday afternoon."

For Cavaliers, the winning draw was better than nothing.

"We would have liked to have taken all ten points," said player/manager Barry Richards, "but we are happy to get seven."

In Sunday's other game, Jamaican Association claimed their second win of the season, bowling out BC Allrounders and then comfortably reaching 141 to win.

Standings

P W D L Pts

Forties 4 3 1 0 37

Spring Garden C'liers 4 2 1 1 27

North Village 4 2 2 0 26

Jamaican Association 5 2 2 1 26

Ernst & Young 4 1 1 2 17

BC Allrounders 4 1 0 3 10

St. David's 5 0 1 4 7

Note: Teams are awarded ten points for a win, seven points for a "winning" draw and three points for a "losing" draw. Teams get five points each in unfinished drawn games.

Sunday's games: North Village v Forties, Garrison Field; BC Allrounders v Ernst & Young, Warren Simmons Community Field; Spring Garden Cavaliers v Jamaican Association, Shelly Bay Oval. Bye: St David's. All matches begin at 12.30 p.m.