Wednesday 21 May 1997
          
          Surrey under pressure to look abroad for security
         
 By Charles Randall
          
          
          
          
          
          PRESSURE is mounting at the Oval for Surrey to sign an overseas
          player to strengthen the side as they attempt to revive a limp
          start to their championship season at Leicester today.
          
          The possibility that both Hollioake brothers will be required
          by England through the summer - joining Alec Stewart and Graham
          Thorpe as county absentees - has forced Surrey to think
          seriously about their status as the only county side wholly
          England-qualified.
          
          As it was, Surrey's decision not to sign a foreign player at
          the start of the season amounted to a risk that would almost
          certainly cost them their championship aspirations.
          
          No side for many years has succeeded in championship cricket
          without one, and major achievements by the best overseas
          players have been key ingredients, certainly in four-day
          cricket as shown by Desmond Haynes, Brian Lara, Allan Donald
          and Phil Simmons since 1993.
          
          Paul Sheldon, Surrey's chief executive, said yesterday: "The
          chance of our requiring an overseas player has gone up since
          the Hollioakes were picked. We may be forced to take action."
          
          "Our policy has been to wait and see how things work out. A
          change depends on three things - England call-ups, plus
          injuries, plus the availability of the overseas players we
          might want. Poor results would be only a small factor."
          
          Surrey drew their first two games when rain interrupted
          unconvincing performances, and they suffered a nine-wicket
          defeat by Gloucestershire at the Oval last week. Only two
          batsmen have made fifties - one of them being Martin Bicknell,
          a bowler.
          
          Sheldon added: "It is true we haven't been dominating sessions
          in the championship so far. We're all under pressure to get
          results because we've assembled a world-class squad and
          world-class results are expected. They're not being produced
          yet. It's early days."
          
          If Surrey do decide to disappoint the anti-overseas lobby, they
          would almost certainly sign a bowler, with Saqlain Mushtaq, the
          Pakistan off-spinner, high on the list.
          
          Chris Lewis takes over from Adam Hollioake as captain and an
          unfancied team have travelled to Leicester, where the
          champions' pennant flies. Leicestershire have found good form
          recently, so it would be no surprise if Surrey, free of the
          burden of expectation, were to do well.
          
          Nottinghamshire managed their first win for almost a year last
          week without an overseas player, and they will have to continue
          to do without one - Mohammad Zahid, their new signing - against
          Derbyshire at Trent Bridge.
          
          The Pakistan fast bowler broke down again in training and is to
          have a scan on his sore back. Their prospects have begun to
          look as bad as Surrey's.
          
          The quality of today's county programme has been a little
          diluted by the loss of 15 players to England and a rash of
          injuries to the overseas contingent. Wasim Akram, Mohammad
          Akram and Vasbert Drakes could all miss their games.
          

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Date-stamped : 21 May97 - 06:16
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