And then there was one ...

All-rounder Nathan Astle is now the sole survivor from Canterbury's first Shell Cup winning team, having played in each of the eight finals the red and blacks have appeared in since their successful run began in 1991-92.

With the knee injury to Chris Cairns, who had previously also played in all earlier finals, it leaves just Astle still standing from each campaign.

Fellow all-rounder Chris Harris also comes close to having a perfect record, but missed the 1995-96 final against Northern Districts after breaking a hand on the eve of the match at net practice, ironically inflicted by team-mate Cairns.

Stephen Fleming, who had also missed only one of those finals, the first of Canterbury's reign, has now moved to Wellington.

"It's a nice feeling to have come through like that," Astle said yesterday.

All members of Canterbury's dominant era during the 1990s are guests of Canterbury Cricket at today's second final at Jade Stadium.

Astle said the team was determined to complete a second "three-peat" of titles having achieved the milestone first from 1991-92 to 1993-94.

"And it would be good if we could do it at home before a decent crowd at Jade Stadium."

But in typically low-key Astle manner he said he was treating the match as "just another game".

Astle was just a 20-year-old when he made his Shell Cup finals debut, batting No. 10 with his frugal medium-pace bowling being more to the fore.

Since then, Astle has accelerated quickly up the order to the opening position he has claimed as his own, becoming one of the world's best-performed one-day players.

Astle, who turns 30 later this year, said he had worked harder in the latter years with his fitness to avoid injuries. "There's been the odd niggle here and there but nothing major."

Astle aims to be around a little longer yet, with the next World Cup in 2003 in South Africa among his goals.