“If we can’t get someone in who will add value then we will do without.”
So says Northamptonshire chief executive David Smith as the quest to fill the club’s overseas berth stretches into another week.
This winter the County have already been rebuffed by Trent Copeland and Rory Kleinveldt before a change of heart from the former saw him offered a deal for a second time.
But with the length of deal proving to be a sticking point, that contract is yet to be signed and Smith admitted that the club will only be prepared to wait so long.
He said: “Doing without an overseas player is definitely a possibility.
“Who we sign has to be the right person and if they don’t come then we’ll just keep hold of the cash and have a look at it again midway through the season.
“We’ve agreed terms with Trent and it’s nothing to do with the finances but we want to get it tied up as soon as possible.”
And Smith revealed that two scenarios have been offered to the Australian.
The first would see him arrive a week before the season and leave in early June and the second would see him miss the first game at Glamorgan and remain until the start of the Twenty20.
He added: “We’ve given him the choice of the two becuase we’re not going to offer too short a contract.
“We haven’t out a date on when we want an answer by and he can think it all through and work out which way he wants to go but we won’t wait indefinitely.”
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