Counties are likely to cut the number of foreign players they field in the face of rising penalties from the England and Wales Cricket Board. Each county can field two overseas players but from next year will lose grant money for extra foreigners.
By 2007 the figure will be �1,100 per player per Championship match and �275 for each one-day game.
"We will be looking to play nine English-qualified players next season," said Derbyshire chief Tom Sears.
"We simply could not afford the drop in income that not doing so would mean."
The ECB is concerned about the amount of "passport professionals" from the southern hemisphere, either holders of European passports or eligible under the controversial Kolpak ruling, who have been playing for counties.
Part of a strategic plan, launched earlier this year to strengthen the England team, aims to cut the numbers.
But to get around European employment law, the grant incentives are dressed up as a reward for sides providing video analysis of potential England players in county action.
The scheme is being brought in next season with levels set at �85 for one-day games and �340 in four-day matches.
But it almost triples in the second season of operation.
If a foreign player turned out in every match of 2007 - with a minimum of 17 one-day games and 16 Championship matches - it would cost his club at least �22,275.
Derbyshire, who fielded five non-qualified players as well as two official overseas stars, announced a loss of �82,989 on last year's budget, and made �74,923 the previous year.
"The penalties don't look too damaging for next year but counties who haven't put their house in order could feel them bite the year after," Sears told the Daily Telegraph.
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The penalties don't look too damaging for next year but counties who haven't put their house in order could feel them bite the year after
Cricket interviews 