DURHAM coach Martyn Moxon yesterday assured fans that he is on the trail of a player who will help the talented youngsters to provide the club with an exciting future.
"We have a specific target and we have had extensive talks with him," said Moxon. "We are waiting for a final decision, and I think it's someone who would excite the members."
An all-rounder seems the most likely target and Gloucestershire's unsettled England one-day player Jeremy Snape is a possibility, although other counties are on his trail and a bigger salary than Durham can offer may overcome the lure of a return to his student haunts.
Craig White has also been mentioned, and if Moxon is confident of landing an all-rounder of his calibre it may partly explain why Danny Law has been ignored in the final few weeks of the season.
Moxon has spoken to his former Yorkshire teammate Paul Grayson during Durham's two recent meetings with Essex. But Grayson is said to be settled and Essex's promotion, plus the vice-captaincy, could keep him at Chelmsford.
"We have to face the fact that this has been a disappointing year, but we are trying to strengthen and several players have taken strides forward," said Moxon.
"Michael Gough has played exceptionally well in the last few matches and I thought Gary Pratt played his best innings at Bristol last week because he got stuck in and worked hard. That's the side of his game he needs to improve.
"We have seen enough to think Gordon Muchall is going to be a good player, and Nicky Peng will come again. He just needs a break.
"Graeme Bridge bowled really well before his injury and Mark Davies has had a good first season, while Steve Harmison's recent development has been very encouraging.
"As long as we can get all the players on the park next season there's every reason to be optimistic."
Durham finished their season yesterday with a 175-run defeat by Somerset at Taunton, which left them eighth in the Norwich Union League.
They collapsed from 40 for one to 79 all out - the third time this season they have failed to total 80 in this competition.
Neil Killeen finished as division one's leading wicket-taker, despite claiming only one victim yesterday.
It took his total to a club record of 30, leaving him two ahead of Glamorgan's Robert Croft.
Andrew Pratt's two catches left him one behind Kent's Paul Nixon as the leading wicket keeper.
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