veterans Arnold Manders, Clevie Wade and Charlie Marshall all need 50 runs or less to gain their membership cards.

At ages 40, 39 and 38 respectively, the trio know they are nearing the end of their careers. Reaching the 700-run mark would be fitting for the trio who have played a combined 48 Cup Matches.

Wade, with 18 appearances, is the longest serving player, his career starting in 1977 before colt Chris Foggo was even born, while Marshall has played 16 times since his memorable debut in 1980. Manders has played 14 times since 1978.

In Manders' case it would be a significant achievement as he has been dropped four times by the east enders and has still managed 688 runs in the Classic.

He has also managed two centuries, which has been achieved by only two other players, Lloyd James and Rupert Scotland.

Manders, the oldest player in Cup Match at 40, accepts he is running out of time if he is to get that record third century. He is at the age that Noel Gibbons found himself too old for the team.

There was no question of Marshall's inclusion this year after five centuries, but Wade did make a late charge to secure a return after three years with some good knocks of late, including 52 in the last trial.

Wade, who was captain when St. George's won the cup back in 1983, admits he thought he was finished with Cup Match after his last appearance in 1996. But he thanks his players at Southampton Rangers for persuading him to play more this season.

"At the beginning of the season I wasn't even planning to play much,'' said the former captain,'' said the Rangers player-coach.

"The players at the club persuaded me to give it a go, `you're still got cricket in you' and as the season went on I started to get the urge and hunger for the game.

"I told Wendell (Smith) `if you need me I'll play in the last trial' and he asked me if I was serious. It worked out in the last trial when I got a bit of runs.'' Wade has been struggling with injuries the last few years but has been feeling great after a knee operation in 1997. It doesn't appear he has lost any of his enthusiasm for the game, having always been a player with a big heart who loves the big occasion.

"I'm feeling great coming off the injuries and I'm feeling a lot better than in the last three or four years,'' said Wade who wouldn't mind staying on another year so as to reach the mark of 20 Cup Match appearances. Scoring 700 runs would be nice, too.

"I don't have too many more (years) left so it would be nice to finish on a high,'' Wade admits.

"This season has been one of my better seasons as far as batting, although I haven't had that many games.'' Wade admits the absence from Cup Match has him "feeling like a colt.'' He added: "It's an old man's game and you are only as old as you feel. I don't even feel 39, going on 40.

"The knee is feeling as strong as ever. That's one of the reasons I'm playing as much as I am. The body feels good.'' While current players continue to climb up the batting charts, little progress has been made in the bowling where Clarence Parfitt record 115 wickets promises never to be broken.

Wade is the leading bowler amongst the current players with 36 wickets. The only other current player in the top 25 of the leading wicket-takers is former St.George's fast bowler Adrian King with 35 victims.

His Cup Match career ended 12 years ago though he did turn out for Police on Sunday!