to play first-round knockout matches ruined by rain last weekend and marked by another nasty injury to a batsman at Garrison Field.

Two of the games -- North Village against Jamaican Association and West Indian Association against newly-crowned league champions Watford Sports Club -- did not start.

Lucozade Leg Trappers came closest to winning, finishing 24 runs short of victory with nine overs left against league runners-up Forties at the Royal Naval Field before the captains agreed to abandon the match.

Police Recreation Club had reached 45 for one in eight overs in reply to West End Warriors' 129 for eight when the game was called off at Garrison Field.

Warriors' Charlie Simmons became the latest injury victim, requiring seven stitches for a cut over his right eye after being struck by a ball from medium pacer Ian Moe. Team-mate Clevie Richardson was also struck in the neck trying to hook.

In May Jamaican Association fast bowler David Gibbs struck two Police batsmen, Dennis Gordon and Dave Geraghty, in the face with rising deliveries. Gordon, who lost two front teeth, has still not fully recovered.

"Simmons just played forward to a ball which hopped and struck him,'' said skipper Gladstone Eve. But Eve has kept faith in the ground and has booked it again for Sunday.

Calvin Grimes topscored with 35 for Warriors while Dawson Dates snapped up three for 31 and skipper Rohan Moore two for 23 for Police whose hard-hitting batsman Devonish Small made 24.

Forties' openers Tim Bridges (28) and Gary Edwards (22) added 42 but Gary Knight, who claimed four for 27, scythed through the middle order before a lower order fightback lifted the total to 144. Noel Capewell took two for 36.

Graham Strange followed up his 64 the previous week against the Warriors by hitting an unbeaten 47 to carry Lucozade to the brink of victory at 121 for three after openers Knight (28) and Simon Brown (11) put on 42. David Outrim made 20 in a third-wicket stand of 57 with Strange, who enjoyed a slice of luck when surviving an apparent caught-and-bowled, as Forties struggled to cope with a wet ball.

Strange had already turned and was heading back to the pavilion when umpire Roddy Moore called him back, ruling Edwards did not have complete control of the ball before it slipped to the ground -- a decision that angered Forties who claimed it was a clean catch.

Police Field was unplayable for the WIA-Watford match while North Village turned up with only three players at Shelly Bay, which has now been turned over to soccer, but Jamaican Association sportingly declined to claim victory by default.

Meanwhile the league has deducted ten points from WIA for playing an ineligible player -- Wendell White -- during their victory last month over Watford, relegating WIA to sixth spot in the amended final league table.