Albert Steede has been scoring so freely in Cup Match lately that his calculator can't keep up.

Which is why until a Royal Gazette reporter informed him last year that he had joined the `700 Club' he knew nothing of the feat. He also didn't realise until yesterday that he was third in the Cup Match batting averages behind Colin Blades and Glenn Blakeney.

"I don't keep track of that, the media does that,'' said Steede a day after setting a local batting record in a 50 overs game with 202 not out on Sunday against Somerset Bridge.

"The first priority is winning that cup because that's more significant and if I score a few runs than so be it. I think they'll remember me more for winning the cup than scoring 1,000 runs.'' Which brings up the next topic, 1,000 runs in Cup Match.

When Wendell Smith became the first player to reach that milestone in 1995 he stated then that Steede and Clay Smith had the ability to join him. For Steede it could happen in the next few years.

Steede joined the `700 Club' last year, one of only nine players in the history of the event to score more than 700 runs. And if the dashing opener still has some runs left in him after Sunday's double hundred, expect him to climb even further up the run scoring charts.

Presently Steede is sixth with 747 runs from 18 innings, but within his reach are the late Alma (Champ) Hunt (762), Noel Gibbons (783) and Edward Swainson (829).

"I guess that's a pretty good statistic considering how long I've been playing,'' Steede says modestly.

Certainly he is reaching form at the right time, which will give the St.

George's bowlers plenty to think about.

"I think I'm in pretty good form this year, I'm seeing the ball quite well,'' said the Somerset captain who has already scored 1,000 for the season.

"Fitness has helped my concentration and I've worked a lot on my footwork this year and I think it's paying dividends.'' No doubt Steede would like to continue his good streak with a big knock in the two-day showpiece.

"Hopefully, but I just take what's given,'' he stated. "Every day is a fishing day but not every day is a catching day.

"Although you make a big score the previous week you are only as good as your next innings and I have to start from zero again. It only takes one ball to get you out and I have to concentrate even harder.

"With me scoring runs, guys will bowl that much better so I have to be a step ahead of them. It makes me concentrate more knowing everyone's after me.'' Steede was on 170 with six or seven overs left when people started to urge him to go for the 200 on Sunday.

"I really wasn't thinking about that, I was rotating the strike,'' Steede explained.

"I didn't do anything drastic, I played the same way the whole innings. I wasn't overly aggressive as far as shot selection, I just played each ball on its merit and just took what was given. Fortunately, on that day it was 200!'' Opening salvo: Dexter Smith (above) has been in fine form recently and will hope to give St George's a solid start with the bat while his captain, seamer Herbie Bascome (below) will hope to get some early Somerset wickets on a pitch likely to favour the visitors' spinners.