In what has been one of the most important and contentious issues in its 211-year history, the MCC will have to show on Monday if it wants to embrace the modern age, and possible National Lottery pay-outs.

The 17,500 members went to the ballot box on the issue seven months ago when 56% were in favour - a majority, but not the two thirds required by the club's constitution to carry a vote.

A result will be announced on Monday evening

Repeating the vote is thought to have cost the club £75,000.

Postal votes from around the country will be added to the count at a special general meeting at Lord's, with the result scheduled to be announced at 2000BST.

But even if women do get the green light to apply for membership, it will be a long time before their presence is felt. The current waiting list stands at 17 years.

The BBC's Neil Bennet reports on the vote

Each prospective member needs a proposer, a seconder, a sponsor and an endorser.

However, the committee proposes that 10 honorary members be made in the first year and six would then be appointed annually.

Back in February, the MCC faced criticism from both Sports Minister Tony Banks and Prime Minister Tony Blair over the ruling not to allow women.

By August, the MCC Committee urged members to accept the inevitable and allow women into the pavilion at Lord's. It said the continuing ban posed a "serious threat" to its future.

The committee warned members that disallowing women meant National Lottery money would never be forthcoming - lottery grants are not made to single sex clubs.

And the committe said that two commercial sponsors had already pulled out as a result of the winter vote.

The committee, which includes composer Tim Rice and David Faber MP, said the club should reflect the growing interest women show in the game, and stressed that in 1998 it was wrong to have an exclusively all-male club.

Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie, president of the MCC and a strong supporter of women members, urged all members to take the "responsible" course by voting to allow women.

He added: "The current position is clearly unsatisfactory for our view is that a majority of members want to see women becoming eligible for membership.

"The committee considers that a decision now to enable women to be proposed for membership is the only responsible course for the club and we hope MCC members will vote in support of the proposals."

If women are voted in today they may be allowed to bat and bowl in MCC colours, for the committee proposes allowing a small number of women to join, as men can, as "playing members". Mixed cricket is not on the agenda.

However women would not be completely immersed in the club.

One bar in the pavilion will be kept for men only "on an experimental basis".

The impact of introducing women members would not be fully felt for some time as qualifying as a playing member could take up to two years. All other women will have to join the waiting list.