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Scyld Berry on Worcestershire's two-year deal with the Australian fast bowler

Australia's premier fast bowler Glenn McGrath has signed for Worcestershire in a two-year deal, succeeding another Australian World Cup player, Tom Moody, as the county's overseas player next season.

Worcestershire won the race to sign McGrath, who has been keen to play county cricket for some time, by making him an offer of £100,000 for each of his two seasons. The deal will go before the Australian Cricket Board for their scrutiny, and they are certain to look carefully at the workload which McGrath will undertake. But they have never yet prevented an Australian player from playing in county cricket in England. When Shane Warne chose not to join a county, after protracted negotiations during the Australian tour of England in 1997, it was his own decision.

If the ACB should make objections, McGrath, along with his agent, Warren Craig, is expected to advance the Courtney Walsh argument: that fast bowlers can keep on going provided they never stop. McGrath turned 29 in February.

Another powerful factor behind McGrath's decision is that his wife-to-be, Jayne Steele, is English and happy to spend two more summers in England rather than on McGrath's recently purchased estate in the outback of New South Wales.

While not the equal of Shoaib Akhtar in sheer pace, McGrath has no challenger other than Allan Donald to his title as the world's best fast bowler. By the end of the Ashes series against England this winter, which he again dominated, he had taken 202 wickets in his 45 Tests, to which he proceeded to add the remarkable haul of 30 wickets in four Tests in the West Indies.

For Worcestershire it is a major signing which they hope will turn them into the force they once were in the late 1980s when they won the county championship twice. This season was always expected to be Moody's last after a distinguished contribution as a batsman and bowler, and as captain since taking over from Tim Curtis in 1995.

New Road will suit McGrath too with its seaming pitches, especially in early season. Worcestershire tried to attract Angus Fraser last winter with their pleasant surroundings and seamer-friendly conditions, and turned to Australia when that approach failed.