Commercial League cricket By Ivan Clifford An unbeaten half century by skipper Gordon Campbell and a five-wicket haul by rarely used bowler Mark Melvin helped Forties beat Sandys Sports Club by six wickets at Shelly Bay and clinch a place in the League Cup final.

Medium pacer Melvin, back after breaking a finger in a match six weeks ago, undermined the Sandys innings with five for 18 -- his best ever figures at senior level -- as the West Enders stumbled to 126 all out in the penultimate over in Sunday's final Group A round robin game.

Campbell struck 10 fours in his fluent 76 not out -- his second half century of the season -- and added 62 with Andrew Paynter for the fourth wicket to carry Forties to the brink of victory which they eventually achieved with more than eight overs to spare, avenging a five-wicket league defeat the previous Sunday.

Forties will now meet Pembroke United, winners of Group B, in the final of the tournament in which bowlers are limited to five overs apiece.

League secretary Dave Carruthers has confirmed the withdrawal from the league of North Village, whose records for the season have been deleted -- a move which has pushed Sandys to the top of the league, four points clear of previous leaders West Indian Association.

Carruthers has left the existing schedule in place, with teams getting a bye when they were due to play North Village, who completed only one of their fixtures in the first half of the season -- a nine-wicket defeat after playing one short against Pembroke United.

The departure of Village, who joined the league in 1991, leaves St. David's without a game this weekend and an extra week to reflect on their threat to pull out of the league unless at least one umpire officiates at their remaining games.

"It's up to St. David's to organise this themselves,'' said Carruthers.

Two weeks ago St. David's forfeited the points when they walked off against Pembroke in the closing stages of a league match after a decision went against them.

This Sunday's two league matches pit Pembroke against Forties -- Pembroke won the season opener by four wickets -- and West Indian Association against Sandys.

WIA, who "outpointed'' Sandys in a closely-fought draw the first time around, are short of match practice. They haven't played a game for a month, North Village being the chief culprits as they defaulted league and League Cup matches in successive weeks.

Sandys, who sorely missed their leading batsman Terry Ward in last Sunday's rain-affected match, lost an early wicket after being sent in when Gladwin (Chief) Ingham bowled Ray DeSilva for five.

Fellow opener Michael Corday, dropped on six, topscored with 30 before falling to a spectacular one-handed diving catch by veteran Gerald Simons at deep backward point.

The introduction of Melvin as second change sparked a major collapse, dismissing David DeSilva -- whose unbeaten 81 the previous week led his side to victory -- for 13, skipper Terry Corday for nought and Troy Berkeley for 17 and ending his spell by removing Terence Corday (two) and Anthony Zuill (nought) with his final two balls.

The father-and-son combination of Blake and Jim West gave the total a measure of respectability with a ninth-wicket stand of 43 which was ended when teenager Jim was unluckily run out for an impressive 25. Blake hit 16 not out.

When Forties replied Gary Edwards survived a vociferous appeal for a catch behind from Terence Corday's lifting first delivery -- a decision which angered Sandys -- but with his fifth ball Corday had Melvin, who walked, caught behind from a thin edge for naught.

Corday yorked Ingham for seven with the first ball of his final over to finish a lively spell with two for eight, leaving Forties 20 for two.

Edwards played on to David DeSilva for 14 but as Sandys strove to cope with a wet ball after a heavy shower Campbell and Paynter -- run out for 22 -- cut loose, 71 runs coming in the final 12 overs.