Bears in bowler pursuit

Aug 13 2007 By Brian Halford, Birmingham Mail

WARWICKSHIRE hope to have new blood in the bowling attack against Kent at Edgbaston tomorrow.

It is a huge game for the Bears with Kent, in the relegation zone, just 22 points behind them with a game in hand.

And with Heath Streak below 100 per cent with a sore back and Naqaash Tahir nursing a hip problem, the Bears are searching hard.

They still hope the Nayan Doshi dispute will be settled but have failed in a bid to get Dale Steyn back from South Africa.

"We enquired about Dale," said skipper Darren Maddy. "He said he would love to come but has a tour with South Africa at the end of this month.

"So we are looking at other options. And hopefully Nayan's clearance will come through.

"It's all still going on with the ECB, the PCA and the legal people. We keep getting mixed messages saying he is registered and everything should be fine and then the ECB say he can't play. It's really out of our hands."

With Doshi signed up, left-armer Paul Harris will not be coming back after his South Africa A tour to Zimbabwe. Looking further ahead, Stuart Broad remains a target - and Maddy hopes his Leicestershire links will hold some sway.

"The point at which we can approach Stuart is getting quite close," Maddy said. "I knew him for five years at Leicestershire and before that what with him being Chris Broad's lad."