Willow Cuts 160 St. George's gained revenge for a controversial one-run loss to Willow Cuts in the Knockout Cup last season with yesterday's quarter-final match at Wellington Oval also going down to the wire.

Cuts, who went on to reach the final last season, were beaten by five runs with one delivery remaining as the game ended in a thrilling climax. The victory for St. George's also made up for their only loss this season, to Cuts, which ended a 41-game unbeaten league run.

In their chase for the winning target of 165, Cuts enjoyed an opening stand of 62 between captain Dexter Basden (25) and Jermaine Warner (45). However, once the pair were separated they ran into trouble with the next six wickets falling for 51.

Rodney Fubler (24) and Vance Gilbert (17) kept Cuts in the match with a partnership of 38 for the eighth wicket which carried them to 150-8. That left them needing 14 for victory off the last over and with two wickets remaining.

But the task proved too steep as both Fubler and Ossie Hinds fell to Clay Smith, Hinds being caught by Dexter Smith on the fifth ball.

Clay Smith was the unlikely hero, finishing with five for 62 off 9.5 overs, rescuing his team after Cuts were comfortably placed at 76-2.

Spinner Eugene Foggo was the other St. George's bowler with more than one wicket, finishing with two for 28 off 10 overs while Clevie Wade had one for 18 off seven overs and David Adams one for 16 off 10.

Earlier St. George's creeped to the century mark and eventually finished with 165 before their innings ended at tea with the loss of seven wickets after 45 overs.

Among the early batsmen only opener Dexter Smith (33), skipper Graham Fox (39) and Clevie Wade (30) offered any resistance against some tight bowling by Rodney Fubler and Vance Gilbert. Eugene Foggo was undefeated on 20 after coming in at number seven.

Fubler finished with two for 27 off nine overs with two maidens while Gilbert had two for 49 off 10 overs.

Western Stars 187-8 Police 95 What had been expected to be the top match of the four Knockout contests turned out to be one-sided as, even without captain Arnold Manders' bowling, Stars proved too strong for their opponents at St. John's Field.

Manders, who injured his hand while batting, took the field late because of the injury. However, his bowling wasn't needed as Allan Brangman, Wayne Richardson and Hasan Durham took seven wickets between them and then left it to part-time bowler Cleon Scotland to finish Police off with the last wicket from his second delivery.

Police never recovered from losing openers Wayne Clarke in the fifth over for six and Donovan Livingston in the sixth over for three which made it 16-2.

Livingston was spared just two balls earlier when, after being given out caught behind off Gary Brangman, wicketkeeper Anthony Manders admitted that the catch was not held.

The top seven Police batsmen all struggled with Stars' bowling, with Ferdinand Thorne dismissed for eight, Dave Greenidge for four, captain Stevie Lightbourne for 10, Dennis Archer for 12 and Dwayne Leverock for five. Number seven batsman Roger Blades, who came in at 50-5, was their high man with 21.

Durham claimed three for 15 from 10 overs while Wayne Richardson took two for 37 off 10 to follow up the good work provided earlier by brothers Allan and Gary Brangman. Allan returned two for 31 off seven overs while Gary was wicketless in giving up only 10 runs in six overs.

Arnold Manders rescued Stars from 70-4 and 91-5 with a top score of 65 after coming in at number seven. He hit six sixes and three fours in his unbeaten knock as he and brother Anthony shared in a stand of 64 for the seventh wicket in taking the score from 108 to 172.

Earlier in the innnings Albert Steede hit 31 in 67 minutes after openers Andre Manders and Durham each scored five, the latter batting for 41 minutes. Archer claimed two for 24, King two for 29, Leverock two for 49 and Austin two for 51.

Bailey's Bay 187-6 Cleveland 170 Bailey's Bay moved a step closer towards retaining the Knockout Cup, but were made to sweat it out against Eastern Counties rivals Cleveland at Sea Breeze Oval.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, the defending champions were spurred to their total by a flowing unbeaten century from Roger Trott.

Coming in with his club precariously placed at 14 for three, Trott launched into the visitors' attack, slamming nine fours and four sixes in an unbeaten 103 during three hours at the crease.

He first teamed up with Glenn Smith (27), taking the score to 46 before Smith was bowled by Jermaine Postlethwaite.

Trott and Noel Gibbons (six) then added 28 for the fifth wicket before Gibbons became Postlethwaite's second victim.

Weary of watching the backward procession, Trott increased his aggression, taking particular liking to spinner Del Hollis, who he battered for three sixes and a four in the space of two overs as Hollis surrendered 15 and 14 runs in his eighth and ninth overs.

Meanwhile, Trott found a capable partner in Irving Romaine and the duo put on 87 for the sixth wicket, Romaine contributing 32.

With the match reduced to 44 overs, Cleveland started slowly, managing just 23 from the initial 10 overs.

Gradually the pace increased, but wickets began to tumble as Cleveland fell from 30 without loss to 40 for four, bringing former captain Peter Philpott (39) and Grant Smith (28) to the centre.

And they didn't disappoint, their 72 runs drawing Cleveland to within striking distance and causing concern for Bay skipper Chris Smith.

But to the rescue came trusty old veterans Charlie Marshall and Gibbons, derailing any chances Cleveland may have had.

Gibbons struck first, inducing Philpott into a pull attempt that landed safely in the hands of Corey Hill at deep square leg, making the score 112 for five and four runs later Smith was bowled by Marshall.

Marshall went on to collect three more scalps, including that of Hollis who had threatened with a late flurry at number nine, hitting 26 runs from just 11 balls as he and Andre Smith (seven) managed 35 for the ninth wicket.

Marshall collected a return catch to dismiss Hollis and it was then left for Gibbons to place the final nail in the coffin when he bowled Smith (seven).

Warwick 143 Southampton 147-4 Southampton, beaten last year by eventual winners Bailey's Bay in the quarter-finals, moved into the semi-finals with an easy six-wicket triumph over a weakened Warwick team at Southampton Oval.

College student Janeiro Tucker was their hero, slowing up Warwick after an opening stand of 51 with two for 22 off 10 overs and then smashing 64 not out to complete the victory with more than half the overs still remaining.

Tucker stroked six fours and five sixes, including one off Ritchie Foggo over long-off to end the match, as he and Michael Brangman (45) took them from a ticklish position of 45-3 to the brink of victory with a stand of 86 in just 63 minutes. Brangman hit seven fours before falling lbw to Allan Wilkinson.

Brangman and Tucker were brought together after the first three batsmen Lee Raynor Jr, Keith Wainwright and Olin Jones all went cheaply. Steven Bremar led the Warwick bowling with two for 30, but their attack was weakened with the absence of El James and youngsters Daniel Caines and Quinton Sherlock who are on international duty with the Bermuda youth team.

Johnny Nusum (17) and Jeff James (30) put on 51 for the first wicket and number three batsman Daniel Morgan kept the runs flowing as he added 41 of the next 61 runs while Peter Lee scored 19.

Dwayne (Pickles) Steede led the Rangers bowling with four for 31 off 10 overs while Tucker's spell also included seven maidens.