Most of Yorkshire's fast bowlers have enhanced their reputations this season of being among the best of their breed in the country.

But one proven paceman on the club's books with less to celebrate than most is left-arm swinger Paul Hutchison.

While his team-mates are knocking over stumps either for England or Yorkshire, the 24-year-old from Pudsey must be wondering if he has any sort of future with his county or if the time is approaching when he should be thinking of moving on.

Hutchison has played in only one of Yorkshire's seven Championship matches to date, despite taking 30 wickets in four Second XI appearances, and it is now beginning to look as if future opportunities will be few and far between.

When Matthew Hoggard was dragged out of Yorkshire's match against Kent at Headingley to join up with England, Steven Kirby was signed and dropped straight into the side with sensational results, the red-haired fast bowler grabbing seven for 50.

One could hardly knock Yorkshire's actions, but Hutchison must have been fairly unhappy that an 'unknown' was brought in rather than himself, who is, after all, a capped first team player.

The move could partly be explained in that Yorkshire were replacing like with like - one right armer going out and another coming in - but no such excuse existed at Bath last week.

With fellow left-arm fast bowler Ryan Sidebottom still out with sore shins, Hutchison was in the squad but was not picked, Kirby once again getting the vote.

Hutchison must be thinking that with Sidebottom now almost ready to return his own prospects for the remainder of the season do not appear to be too rosy.

Yet it's only a couple of years ago that Hutchison was one of England's brightest prospects with a successful Test career looming, but persistent back problems then held him back.

Now he insists he is fully fit and just waiting for the chance to prove that he can play a significant part in the push for the Championship title.

Hutchison was given an outing in last Sunday's Norwich Union League match against Somerset Sabres at Bath and he was easily the pick of Yorkshire's six-man attack, taking three for 26 in nine consecutive overs with the new ball.

But if Hutchison cannot get a permanent place in the Championship side and if Yorkshire should agree to any request from Hutchison to be released, there would be no shortage of counties in the queue to sign him.

His stock is high all around the country and it would be surprising if Somerset's cricket chairman, Vic Marks, now broadcaster and journalist, had not made a mental note at Bath that Hutchison was spending his time on the wrong side of the boundary rope.

Updated: 11:09 Saturday, June 23, 2001