SIMON OAKES, Lincolnshire's fast bowling prodigy, is the latest Minor Counties player who is being earmarked for a possible career in first-class cricket.

Several senior counties have been running their eyes over Oakes, with Essex and Middlesex believed to be showing more than a passing interest in the 22-year-old quick bowler, who comes from Grantham.

Oakes burst onto the scene last season with 23 wickets in six championship appearances. This year he has already taken three for 37 against Yorkshire in the Benson and Hedges Cup playing for the Minor Counties representative side, and four for 30 in Lincolnshire's MCC Trophy win over Hertfordshire.

A pre-season session with Phil Oliver, the coach of the Minor Counties XI, helped iron out a run-up problem and Mark Fell, the Lincolnshire captain, said: ``I'm not surprised first-class counties are interested. Simon is genuinely quick and we could have unearthed something special.''

Middlesex are also showing plenty of interest in Berkshire's Tim Bloomfield, another fit, aggressive seam bowler who turned out for Sussex's second team last season.

On the flip side of the coin, two former top-flight bowlers who are now seeing out their twilight days in the Minor Counties game teamed up to inspire Herefordshire to their first championship win of the season.

Kevin Cooper finished with match figures of 11 for 79 and Neal Radford claimed a second-innings return of six for 50 as Herefordshire bowled Dorset out for 105 and 90 to win by lunchtime on the second day.