Sandys may be without key players
Cricket League double, face a tricky tie when they start their defence of the Knockout title they won last season.
Sandys, who sewed up the league title two weeks ago, have been drawn away to St. David's in this Sunday's first round of the Knockout. The clubs' first league meeting of the season ended in a tame draw on a deteriorating pitch at Wellington Oval.
By pure coincidence the Knockout draw made yesterday -- venues aside -- is a repeat of last Sunday's final round of league matches which were all called off without a ball being bowled.
St. David's failed to show up at the Royal Naval Field, conceding the points to Sandys, while at Shelly Bay North Village handed the points to West Indian Association after turning up with only six players.
Both Pembroke United and Safeguard Security turned up at Southampton Oval but heavy rain flooded the pitch and the match was abandoned as a draw, robbing bottom club Pembroke of the chance to notch up their first win of the season.
Sandys, who won the league at the third attempt in 1983 but had not won it since sharing the title with Forties in 1984, finished 15 points clear of WIA with Forties a further 10 points back in third place.
In Sunday's other Knockout ties North Village have been drawn at home to league runners-up West Indian Association and Pembroke United are at home to Safeguard Security.
Village have a club cruise booked on Sunday and spokesman Wendell Lindsay said his team could be hard pressed to field a full side.
Sandys may be without three key players because of a DeSilva family reunion being held on Sunday, according to skipper Terry Corday. "But don't worry, we'll be there,'' he said.
Forties, with nine Knockout titles behind them and with a 100 per cent record in finals until they lost to Sandys at Wellington Oval last season, have drawn a first round bye.
In the semi-finals on September 3 Forties will be away to the winners of the Pembroke-Safeguard tie while the other game will pit the winners of the Village-WIA clash against the winners of the St. David's-Sandys game.
