FINDING an overseas player is not top of Essex head coach Paul Grayson’s to-do list currently.

With the domestic season starting on April 13 against Derbyshire at the Ford County Ground, the Eagles remain one of the few sides in English cricket yet to reveal the identity of their overseas star.

But while other counties might be scrambling around making arrangements for an international player from abroad to join their ranks, Grayson said he is taking his time over the decision.

He is happy with his squad and will probably not choose his overseas player until after the first few fixtures.

Grayson said: “I am just going to see how the squad develops over the first few games of the season before making my mind up.

“We do have a couple of options open to us with international players willing to come and join us.

“But I don’t want to jump in and sign a batsmen when our guys are in form and then have them playing second XI cricket instead.

“Likewise one of the bowlers might pick up an injury so then we’ll be best off finding a replacement for them, so we’ll just take our time over the situation.”

He believes this flexibility over the overseas selection will benefit the squad, who he said need to get off to a good start this year.

“I am confident with the squad we have got going into the first phase of County Championship games,” Grayson added.

“In the past we have been slow starters and one thing I want the team to do this year is start positively, getting some runs on the board and setting wins up for us.

“That is something we have struggled with in recent years and maybe a better start last year would have seen us achieve promotion.”