Somerset's fast bowling crisis deepened this morning when Graham Rose reported that he had a tight hamstring and was unlikely to be able to bowl on the final day of the championship match against Yorkshire at Scarborough.

It also seems unlikely that the 38 year old will play in the Sabres NUL game against Yorkshire Phoenix tomorrow in the hope that he will be available if required for the Cheltenham and Gloucester quarter-final against Worcestershire at Taunton on Wednesday.

Fast bowlers Andrew Caddick and Richard Johnson are already on the injured list, but both hope to be fit for Wednesday's big match.

The situation has been compounded by injuries to Pete Trego and Joe Tucker, who would normally have been drafted in to fill the vacancy left by `Rosie's' injury.

Rather than risk Graham Rose in tomorrow's match the Cidermen were left with a fast bowling dilemma.

Chief executive Peter Anderson told me this morning: "Kevin Shine told me about the Graham's injury problem, and we discussed a number of options. In the end we decided to go for youth, and re-signed Paul Jarvis as cover for the match tomorrow, and have him for Wednesday if needed!"

Thirty seven year old Jarvis is an experienced campaigner, having played in nine test matches and sixteen one day internationals during a twenty year career in the first class game. He began his career at Yorkshire in 1981, before moving onto Sussex in 1994. He joined the Cidermen in 1999 but retired at the end of the 2000 season.

Since leaving Somerset, Jarvis has kept himself in good physical shape and plays cricket professionally in South Wales.

Meanwhile tickets for the quarter final on Wednesday are selling steadily, and by the end of yesterday nearly 3500 had been sold.

With a good weather forecast, and a fascinating match in prospect the advice to anyone who intends to be at the County Ground on Wednesday is to purchase their ticket in advance.

© SOMERSET