One of the first jobs Yorkshire need to do this winter is to search the world for a top class fast bowler.

The lack of a paceman with the killer touch is to a large part responsible for Yorkshire's slump in fortunes this month after going through June without losing a match.

Their shortcomings with the new ball are particularly acute in the Championship where nobody has performed with any distinction on a regular basis.

This has been emphasised by the fact that in the nine matches to date, not one fast bowler has managed four wickets in an innings, let alone five.

Chris Silverwood has on four occasions claimed three wickets to give him 22 dismissals while Steve Kirby has only taken three wickets once and now stands on 16 victims.

Australian Ian Harvey, who was expected to play a leading role with the ball, has bowled in seven innings in the Championship but has never picked up more than a single wicket in any innings although his chance to improve was held back by a torn hamstring which sidelined him a couple of months.

John Blain claimed 13 rather expensive wickets in four Championship matches before suffering a calf strain while young Tim Bresnan has been steady but never spectacular and has claimed nine wickets in five outings.

Matthew Hoggard has played in only two matches - and that is probably it for the summer - but his four wickets at 43.5 runs apiece is nothing to shout home about.

The greatest worry is the lack of consistency from both of the main pair of strike bowlers, Silverwood and Kirby.

For some reason both seem to have gone off the boil together and neither has looked menacing.

Director of cricket David Byas is aware of the shortcomings of his attack which he admits is taking too few wickets and leaking too many runs.

Next summer, Australia will be over here for the Ashes series which means Darren Lehmann is almost certain to be missing from Yorkshire's line-up and very probably Harvey as well.

Yorkshire will almost definitely want to re-engage their 'third' Australian, Phil Jaques, who has given such sterling service while standing in for either Lehmann or Harvey and will be adding to his 1,000-plus runs in all competitions when he returns in about a month's time.

But their current situation seems to demand that they also need an out-and-out fast bowler of international repute.

It is difficult to name names at this stage because one is never sure who will be available but Yorkshire should make it their top priority to start looking in October and find out.

Ironically, Yorkshire wanted a genuine fast bowler when they made their first overseas signing in 1992 and Australian pace ace Craig McDermott was all signed up to come to Headingley.

Unfortunately a serious knee injury put paid to that idea.

Yorkshire did not replace like for like, bringing in Sachin Tendulkar instead, and since then they have always opted for the batting option.

Of more immediate concern for Byas is to get his current crop of bowlers back to something near decent form.

Bresnan is going to have to be given another regular run after being rested for the Somerset match and Nick Thornicroft should also be in serious contention for a place. Thornicroft has taken six wickets in his two Championship matches to date and has shown himself a decent prospect.