NOTTINGHAMSHIRE will know today whether their gamble in signing Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Zahid has backfired. He has not played for them since arriving in the country early this month and the county are expecting the results of hospital scans taken of his back injury.
If the specialist's verdict is that Zahid, 20, is suffering from a stress fracture which could rule him out for some time, Notts will seek permission from the England Cricket Board's registration committee to look for another overseas player.
At Trent Bridge it is believed that the ECB would look favourably on such a request and the club have a number of names in mind. There is speculation that they may make another effort to attract Chris Cairns back to Nottingham.
He was due to be their overseas professional this summer but asked not to be considered because of his own back troubles, preferring to stay in New Zealand to recuperate and play only as a batsman so that he would be fit to rejoin the county next year.
Notts, second in the championship table after four games, are one of the surprise packets of the season but are in need of quick bowling support for the durable Kevin Evans.
Whenever Zahid, who some Test players already rate as one of the fastest bowlers in the international game, has tried to bowl at pace during practice he has broken down.
At Trent Bridge today Notts meet Kent, who may be without one of their key fast bowlers in Dean Headley, yet another victim of back problems. The 6ft 6in Ben Phillips is likely once more to be his replacement.
Mark Ramprakash will lead Middlesex out at Lord's against Northamptonshire for the first time since Mike Gatting announced earlier this week that he was handing over the captaincy.
Allan Donald is almost certain to miss Warwickshire's meeting with Hampshire at Southampton. He was forced out of the Midlanders' attack during the Benson and Hedges Cup quarter-final against Kent after straining a muscle in his side.
Donald's injury accentuates Warwickshire's fast bowling problems: Tim Munton is out for some time and Gladstone Small is having only the occasional outing because of recurring knee trouble.
David Houghton, Worcestershire's coach since 1995, is to leave the club before the end of the season to become Zimbabwe's national coach.
The full-time appointment, which takes effect from Sept 1, is an extension of the role he fulfilled as player-coach during England's tour to Zimbabwe last winter.
Houghton, 40 next month, will continue to work at New Road until the end of August and Worcestershire have no immediate plans to advertise for a successor. Michael Vockins, their secretary, said: ``We'll think carefully about a key appointment.''
An all-southern Benson and Hedges Cup final is in prospect after Surrey and Kent were drawn at home in the semi-finals.
Surrey will entertain the county champions, Leicestershire, at the Oval while Kent take on Northamptonshire, last season's beaten finalists, at Canterbury.
BENSON & HEDGES CUP.- Semi-finals (Tues, June 10): Surrey v Leics, Kent v Northants.