by Andrew Paynter and a helping hand from the Beulah Tabernacle singers, swept buoyant Sandys Sports Club into the semifinals of the Commercial Cricket League's 40-overs-a-side Knockout competition.

Their victims for the second successive Sunday were West Indian Association.

But while Sandys romped to an emphatic 61-run victory in the previous week's League Cup final this time they kept their supporters on tenterhooks before edging home by five wickets with just eight balls to spare chasing a modest victory target of 139 at the Royal Naval field.

Sandys now take on Devonshire Stars in this weekend's semifinals. Forties, the holders, were gifted a place against North Village -- the team they beat in last season's final -- in the other semifinal when Pembroke United were able to field only six players and conceded the tie.

Paynter produced his best league performance by grabbing five for 37 in eight overs and, with Ward picking up two for 28, WIA slumped to 59 for seven before the first water break.

WIA, who won the toss, lost another wicket at 73 but Jerry Callender (38) and Hunyadi Vidal (26) gave the total an air of respectability with a ninth-wicket stand of 56.

Vidal was well taken by wicket-keeper Michael Corday and a brilliant one-handed diving catch at backward point by Tim Pedro removed Callender and ended WIA's fightback, the innings closing after 28.4 overs. Callender hit a six and two fours.

Pedro's catch capped some outstanding Sandys fielding.

Ward leapt to his left at first slip to remove Shawn Spencer just as he was starting to cut loose, having struck a six and three fours in his 19, and hard-hitting Randy Liverpool, whose 22 included five fours, fell to a stinging catch at mid-off by skipper Terry Corday.

Tight bowling by WIA's frontline bowlers -- led by Olwin Clarke who took one for six in eight overs -- pinned Sandys down and halfway through their 40 overs the west-enders were struggling at 45 for four.

Skipper Corday fell at 61 and with 10 overs remaining Sandys still needed 70 runs to win.

Left-hander Ward, who had contented himself with mostly singles while presenting a straight bat to spin and pace alike, found an able ally in Anthony DeSilva -- and also in the Beulah Tabernacle choir who suddenly burst into song in front of Arnold's Supermarket across the road from the ground.

The singers appeared to inspire the ultra-cautious Ward, who had come in at number three with only two runs on the board, and he and DeSilva began plundering runs at will from WIA's wilting attack.

The assault reduced the target to 15 runs from the final three overs and WIA's last chance went when Ward was put down off a skier at mid-on with 13 required.

Ward finished on 57 not out with two sixes and two fours from 131 balls while DeSilva's unbeaten 39 from just 27 balls contained a six and four fours.