But whenever possible, the two chummed up together, both on-field and off. And watching this with a wry smile on his face was no less than Alec Stewart, who captains Surrey when he is not performing prodigies with the bat for England.

Stewart's expression was prompted, perhaps, by the fact that Glamorgan had just pipped Surrey in acquiring the services of arguably the most feared fast bowler in the world. Waqar Younis is slated to receive remuneration to the tune of 100,000 pounds plus various bonuses during the 1997 and 1998 seasons. Younis had, it will be recalled, played with Stewart for Surrey in the 1990, 1991 and 1993 seasons, and when it came to the crunch Stewart had hoped perhaps that that former loyalties would prevail. In the end, however, Surrey was unable to match Glamorgan's offer.

So, Waqar Younis will adorn the English county circuit next season. And he will do so as the highest paid professional on the circuit.

What I am intrigued by is the question of whether Glamorgan, before committing itself to pay such an enormous sum, had ordered medical tests on the Pakistan pace ace. Waqar had serious fitness problems over the last three years - in fact, his stress fractures of the back were what put him out of the county circuit from 1993 on.

Even more to the point, I am curious to know what the Pakistan Cricket Board thinks about the whole thing. The Australian board, to cite one instance, does not favour their pace bowlers taking part in the daily grind of county cricket, though it permits its spinners and batsmen to play in England. In return, the ACB pays fixed sums to pace bowlers like Glenn McGrath and Damien Fleming in order to compensate them for not being able to make money on the England circuit.

The ACB thinking is that McGrath, Fleming and other fast bowlers run the danger of wearing out on the arduous county circuit, where cricket is played seven days a week and the foreign professionals, who are paid hefty sums, are expected to produce results on every outing.

It is in this context that I am curious about the Pakistan board's thinking - Waqar and Wasim Akram are, after all, the trump cards of the national team, and both are now slated to play the county circuit.

Former Test player and currently manager of the Pakistan national team Nasim-ul-Gani, when asked for his comments, said that Waqar had worked very hard on his fitness and had got rid of his back problems. Fine. But bowling 20 to 25 overs daily in the championship games, plus figuring in the Sunday league, is not exactly calculated to be easy on Waqar's suspect back. This summer, for instance, has already seen the premature exit of West Indian pace bowler Winston Benjamin, the pro at Hampshire. Though only 30, he has been forced to quit the game because of a shoulder injury caused by non-stop cricket. And while on the West Indians, I often wonder how Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh continue to turn out, year after year, for Northamtonshire and Gloucestershire respectively. In fact, Walsh's contract runs upto the year 1999, which means that he is likely to be playing the county circuit even after his retirement.

But to get back to Waqar, it seems to me the Pakistan board is risking injury to their most penetrative bowler by permitting him to play the county circuit. Then again, 100,000 pounds plus perks is nothing to sneeze at either - and it is definitely the sort of package the Pak board cannot compensate him for.

The trouble with Waqar, some of the all-time great fast bowlers, is that he has little variety. His best ball is the indipping yorker, but his stock delivery is the very fast ball, his main aim to beat the batsman for sheer pace. He does not rely on swing or movement (except the reverse variety), nor is he comfortable bowling from a shortenened run up. Waqar in full flight is definitely a joy to watch, but Waqar is also the kind of bowler who always bowls in fourth gear. Question being, how long will his back take the strain?

Like most questions, though, this one has a flip side to it as well. The demands of the county circuit, the need to perform day in and out, has in the past forced other bowlers to think, to add to their arsenal, to learn how to conserve their energies even as they strive to take wickets.

Take the case of Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed, a player who has definitely benefitted since be became Somerset's overseas pro. Once overweight, the Mushtaq of county circuit vintage is a different proposition altogether - fitter, bubbling with energy and enthusiasm, and taking wickets by the dozen. Little wonder that Somerset had signed him on for another two years.

So maybe Waqar just might profit from his county experience, to the extent of adding subtlety to his already lethal pace... wait and see, appears to be the mantra here...

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