Worcestershire are hoping to sign Pakistan paceman Umar Gul as their main overseas player for the 2008 season.
Pears hope Gul, Jones and Ali will form exciting pace spearhead
Worcestershire are hoping to secure the services of fast bowler Umar Gul as their main overseas player for next season.
The Pears have offered terms to the Pakistan paceman and are currently waiting to hear if they have obtained clearance from the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Chief executive Mark Newton said: "We have talked to Umar's representative in the United Kingdom and have made an offer. We will continue to talk to see what is possible.
"We would like Umar to be our overseas player for the early part of next season and his likely availability would be from early May to early August."
The 23-year-old's arrival would further strengthen what is shaping up to be a formidable pace attack at New Road.
Nightmare
Gul, should he accept the offer, will join Simon Jones, who agreed terms last week, and fellow England paceman Kabir Ali as the county looks to bounce back from a nightmare 2007 season.
After their ground was hit by catastrophic flooding, for which they are still counting the cost, Worcestershire suffered relegation from Division One of the LV County Championship.
"We are just hoping it will all come to fruition and it will be an exciting time if Umar, Simon Jones, Kabir Ali and Matt Mason are all fit and available for next season," added Newton.
"Umar is one of the most exciting prospects around and, in addition to Test cricket, he has also proved to be economical in Twenty20 cricket.
"We have to obtain permission from the Pakistan Cricket Board, and they may not want him to play county cricket, but it will be a mouth-watering prospect if all our pace bowlers are available."
Fitness fight
Meanwhile Mason, after missing most of the summer with a shoulder problem, is undergoing extensive rehabilitation work in a bid to be fit for next season.
Newton added: "He had an operation at the back end of last season and now faces two months of extensive rehab work before going to go and coach and possibly play some grade cricket in Perth.
"Everything is being geared with the hope of Matt being 100 per cent fit and firing at the start of next season and we missed his steadying presence in 2007."
