Bailey's Bay 115 Charlie Marshall's performance with both bat and ball couldn't save his team from defeat in the Cal Wade Memorial match at Wellington Oval on Saturday, but it gave the St. George's selectors a timely hint that the veteran allrounder still has plenty to offer.

The match served as a Cup Match trial and the Bay captain, a surprise omission last year, put himself in contention for a recall after first taking four for 22 from six overs to restrict the home team to 193 and then scored 41 before Bay slumped to a 78-run defeat after a promising start.

Six members of last year's Cup Match team were rested in order to give new prospects an opportunity to stake their claim.

One or two others also moved into contention for recalls, including Clarkie Trott -- also dropped last year -- as he produced a fine 10-over spell for Bay which yielded two for 26. Trott trapped Jason Anderson lbw and then had Eugene Foggo caught and bowled.

St. George's were in early trouble at 36-2 as opener Dexter Smith, also bidding to reclaim a spot, failed to help his cause by scoring only 15.

After losing the two early wickets, St. George's moved onto 102-4 thanks to solid knocks in the middle order by Cleon Scotland, captain Clay Smith and Ryan Steede. Scotland, also aiming to secure a place this year, was high man with 35 while Smith and Steede both scored 31.

In a match that also served as a pre-Eastern Counties warm-up, Dennis Pilgrim took two for 44 to support the efforts of Trott and Marshall.

Despite an opening stand of 42 in 13 overs, of which Cal Dill scored 35 including six boundaries, Bay were soon in deep trouble at 73-5. Marshall, batting at number four, offered stubborn resistance after Dill's departure and scored 41 before he was seventh out on 104. The last three wickets went down for 11 runs as Clay Smith finished with four for 20 from seven overs, Gary Brangman three for 10 in 6.4 and David Adams two for 32 off nine.

Vice President's XI 206 President's XI 198 Albert Steede's team scored an exciting eight-run victory over Dexter Basden's team during Somerset's trial match on Saturday.

Dwayne Leverock, who returned to the Somerset team last year, was the outstanding performer, claiming wickets and scoring runs, albeit in a losing cause.

The allrounder claimed six for 54 from 19 overs for the President's team as the Vice President's side had to rely on good knocks late in their innings to get past the 200 mark.

Kevin Fubler, batting at number eight, was high man with 39 while number 10 batsman Mark Trott scored 26. At the other end of the batting order, opener Jermaine Warner scored 35 to stake his claim while captain Steede stroked 33.

Garry Williams, pushing for one of the attack bowling places, took two for 37 from 11.1 overs.

Leverock also led the President's batting with 55 while club player Steval Mendes hit 43 and opener Kwame Tucker 28.

Janeiro Tucker, a sure bet to return to the Cup Match team after missing last year because of an injury, claimed three for 36 from 15 overs while Hasan Durham took three for 38 from 17.3 overs of spin.

The Somerset team will contain at least three changes from last year's team, with Andre Manders having retired from the classic, and Roger Trott and Corey Hill of Bailey's Bay not playing.

CHARLIE MARSHALL -- the Bailey's Bay allrounder has prompted speculation of a Cup Match recall following his performance in Saturday's St. George's trial.