The overnight announcement of Worcestershire's recruitment of New South Wales paceman Stuart Clark now ensures that at least 12 Australians will play as overseas professionals in the forthcoming English county season.

Worcestershire, coached by former Western Australian stalwart Tom Moody, has moved to sign Clark to a short-term deal at the start of the English summer as a means of providing cover for the unavailability of fellow Australian pace bowler Andy Bichel.

Clark, 26, has played only 18 first-class matches in a five-year career with the Blues but has made a big impression on his way to becoming the Pura Cup's leading wicket-taker to this point of the Australian summer. The tall right armer was also a key figure in his state's ING Cup title win.

He will fill the role as the county's import player until Bichel returns from international commitments in early May.

In the process, he will become one of a dozen Australians recruited as overseas professionals at county level for 2002.

Bichel (Worcestershire), Michael Di Venuto (Derbyshire), Martin Love (Durham), Ian Harvey (Gloucestershire), Andrew Symonds (Kent), Mike Hussey (Northamptonshire), Jamie Cox (Somerset), Murray Goodwin (Sussex) and Darren Lehmann (Yorkshire) are all returning to their county positions of last year.

After a number of seasons with Essex, Stuart Law is moving to Lancashire while Michael Bevan will play with his third county when he accepts a post at Leicestershire.

Clark is the only Australian import without previous experience in English domestic competition.

© 2002 CricInfo Ltd