By Martin Gough

Yorkshire's director of cricket made it sound so easy when he said the county was considering signing a foreign all-rounder as cover for the injured Craig White.

Warwickshire have struggled to find cover for Bond

But, as other counties have found over the winter, the hunt for stars from overseas is becoming increasingly difficult.

And keeping hold of those stars is almost as much of a strain as the ever-expanding international programme encroaches on the traditionally sacrosanct English season.

A rule change this year allows each club to field two overseas players in any match, but several have opted simply to sign one.

Warwickshire are just one example of the dilemma.

Having signed New Zealand's Shane Bond in December, the Bears set about searching for a top-class spin bowler to complete their attack.

But they were turned down by India's Anil Kumble and Brad Hogg's sudden elevation to the Australia Test side saw the left-arm wrist-spinner unavailable for county action.

There are loads of good cricketers available who are better than the average county player David Ligertwood Player agent

Then news arrived at Edgbaston that Bond would be touring Sri Lanka with his national side for much of April and May.

The search for short-term cover has already seen India left-armer Zaheer Khan and 1999 World Cup winner Adam Dale ruled out.

"It is getting more and more difficult to acquire the services of top international players with such busy schedules," Warwickshire chief executive Dennis Amiss admitted.

Several counties have taken the softer option by appointing players a good way from their national sides - like Middlesex stand-in Joe Dawes and Essex's Zimbabwe-born youngster Scott Brandt.

Yorkshire's quest could gain mythical status as top Test all-rounders are few and far between, even before they open their diaries.

INT'LS DURING COUNTY SEASON Australia in West Indies April-May SA in Bdesh April (India in ODI series April) NZ in Sri Lanka April-May (Pakistan in ODI series May) Zim in England May-July Pakistan ODIs in England June SL in West Indies June-July SA in England July-Sept Bdesh in Aus July-Aug

Player agent David Ligertwood believes there is more to a club's deliberations than simply looking for a player who can do the job, and that those considerations slow the process down.

"They like to get a name because that helps with sponsorship and membership too," says the former Durham wicket-keeper.

"If not then they are more likely to back one of their own guys to do the job."

"There are loads of good cricketers who are better than the average county player and available at a good price."

Ligertwood has specialised in introducing Southern Hemisphere players without international experience to county cricket, often managing to side-step qualification rules.

But some of the names he drops as still looking for work are of a high calibre.

One such is 33-year-old former Australia opening batsman Michael Slater, who boasts a Test average of 42.

Australia's Michael Slater is looking for a county job

Fast bowler Vasbert Drakes is on the look-out for a fourth county once the West Indies' series against Australia and Sri Lanka are over.

And Zimbabwean Neil Johnson, scorer of a World Cup century against Australia four years ago, is hoping to put two average seasons with Hampshire behind him.

Ligertwood believes Warwickshire are holding out for a "different spinner" in the mould off Muttiah Muralitharan or India's Harbhajan Singh, the Sri Lankan's successor at Lancashire this season.

"They won't take any old spinner and they know they will get someone at the last minute if they need to," he adds.

If that someone is to be available for the whole English summer, though, he will almost certainly be part of the growing band of international nearly men rather than one of the top rank.