All-rounder Gary Edwards masterminded a six-wicket victory as Forties beat Sandys Sports Club at Southampton Oval on Sunday to win their ninth Commercial Cricket League Knockout title in 11 seasons.

Edwards, a month away from his 48th birthday, ripped through the Sandys lower order to snap up five for 39 and then hit a patient unbeaten 50 -- his seventh half-century of the season -- as Forties eased home in the 36th over to complete the coveted League and Knockout double.

It was the third time Forties have beaten Sandys, winners of this season's inaugural League Cup, in a Knockout final in which they have a 100 percent record.

Forties, who had batted first in every previous Knockout final, lost the toss but skipper Gordon Campbell struck two telling early blows, trapping Paul Ross and Terry Ward lbw with only 20 runs on the board.

Campbell (three for 15) removed another danger when he had Michael Corday caught one-handed in the covers by Gary Knight at 47 but opener Sanjika Samaranayake and Troy Berkeley launched a furious counter-attack, adding 52 before Berkeley, who began and ended his whirlwind innings of 37 with a six, was trapped in front by Edwards' medium-pace swing.

Sandys, scoring at around five runs per over, still seemed set for a big total on a pitch of variable bounce when Samaranayake was caught low down at mid-off by Ivan Clifford for a fine 37, a dismissal that triggered an amazing collapse in which the last six wickets tumbled for the addition of 14 runs.

Off-spinner Knight, a former Nationals player, chipped in with two for 29 as Sandys subsided to 132 all out in only 30.3 of their allotted 40 overs.

Ward, who scored an unbeaten 100 and 78 not out against Forties earlier in the season, atoned for his rare failure with the bat by having Campbell caught behind and Knight lbw with only 23 runs on the board. But Ward had trouble with his direction and conceded nine wides in his two for 32.

Edwards and Neil Speight cautiously added 40 for the third wicket before Speight was trapped at 63 in the 21st over by Berkeley, who finished with one for 12 in a tight six-over spell.

Gerald Simons, at 51 the oldest player in the team, revelled on a ground where he played his early cricket and, after surviving a chance to slip, carried Forties to the brink of victory with three sixes in a dashing innings of 43 as he and Edwards added 67 in a crucial fourth-wicket stand.

Man-of-the-match Edwards, imperturbable at the other end, reached his 50 shortly before victory was achieved, his half-century containing only one boundary and 37 singles.

LEADING THE WAY -- Forties skipper Gordon Campbell who took three for 15 to help Forties beat Sandys in the Commercial League Knockout final on Sunday.