A Reginald (Lucky) Pitcher hat-trick put the icing on the cake as West Indian Association avenged a seven-wicket Commercial Cricket League Knockout Cup semi-final defeat a week earlier by thrashing Forties by 104 runs in the final of the revived League Cup.

Forties, who chose to field after winning the toss for the second week running, made an ideal start in pursuit of their challenging victory target of 204, reaching 53 without loss in 11 overs, but then collapsed to 99 all out, undone principally by the spin of Indian chef Boobalan Kannan and slow left-arm bowler Pitcher.

Pitcher completed the 25-over rout by having Blake West caught at deep mid-wicket for eight and Oscar Andrade (one) and No. 11 Kieran Bennett (nought) taken at slip, finishing with figures of four for 10 from four overs, while Kannan claimed four for 20 from his allotted six.

Forties' Knockout Cup victory last week, which guided them into this Sunday's final against Fine Leg Byes at Lord's, was at the compact Warren Simmons Community Field but the big boundaries at Shelly Bay found them out as their batsmen wilted after fielding for 42 overs in the searing heat, despite the encouraging start by openers Yatin Gawas (31) and Granville Bennett (18), who earlier took two for 34 from six.

Powerful half centuries by Andy Boyce and Barry Richards, who both failed seven days earlier, and 33 by Englishman Richard Foulds propelled WIA to 203 for nine in their 42 overs, and for the second week running they were indebted to a major last-wicket stand to boost their total.

Last week Courtney Weekes, who missed Sunday's final because of injury, added 66 with Rowan Ramotar and Ramotar again proved a stumbling block as he made 10 not out while Boyce blazed his way to an unbeaten 60, the pair adding 56 in an unbroken stand after slow bowler Braxton Stowe sparked a major collapse, which saw WIA slide from 108 for two to 147 for nine, by producing outstanding figures of three for four from six overs.

Richards, who promoted himself back to opener after a spell in the middle order because of a hamstring problem, lashed five fours and four sixes, including three in one over from skipper Gordon Campbell, in his 56 while Boyce exploded with two fours and five sixes in his late flurry.

Campbell said: "In the first place, we didn't put the ball in the right places for Barry Richards. Second of all, they batted very well. I know Andy Boyce has struggled a little this year but he paced his innings very well, very circumspect at the beginning and then unleashing at the end.

"And, of course, Rowan Ramotar, as he did last week, hung around for the last wicket to allow Andy the chance to prosper. I have to say, some of our bowling was fairly ordinary.

"Yatin and Granville got us off to a great start but we couldn't sustain it.

"It was a slow bowler's day. Bring on Fine Leg Byes!"

Richards said he decided to go in first because WIA's ploy was to "beat the stuffing out of Forties' opening bowlers but then we collapsed in the middle again".

He admitted last week's decision to stack the side with batsmen had backfired.

"On Sunday we figured we could defend any total with the attack we had, especially with the return of Richard Foulds and Lloyd Morrison, who both missed the Knockout semi-final.

"We were surprised when we got to Shelly Bay and saw the big boundaries.

We knew the bigger the boundaries the more problems Forties would have," added Richards after being handed the new League Cup trophy donated by league champions North Village through their organiser Wendell Lindsay.

Forties will attempt to win the showpiece Knockout Cup for the 14th time on Sunday while Fine Leg Byes are appearing in their first final.