Somerset are planning to sign a tall seam bowler to fill in for first-choice overseas player Murali Kartik in the first month of the 2010 season.

The county look set to be without the Indian spinner until mid May, by which time they will have played four Championship games.

The Delhi-born player will be starring for Kolkatta Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League when Somerset begin their four-day campaign with a trip to Headingley to play Yorkshire on April 15.

The IPL final is on April 25 and Somerset and Kartik have a verbal agreement that he will be given around a fortnight after the tournament to settle in at Taunton.

That could mean Kartik will not only miss the trips to Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire but also the first home game against Essex and the visit to Old Trafford to face Lancashire.

Director of cricket Brian Rose said: "We will probably look to sign a tall seamer. Three of our first four games are in the north and conditions at that time of year tend to favour seam bowling.

"It won't be easy to get the right player, though, because the Indian Premier League is taking place then and then there is the ICC World Twenty20 straight after it."

Kartik has been signed to try to help Somerset win the Championship for the first time, with the plan being to prepare more spin-friendly pitches at Taunton.

Defending champions Durham will visit the County Ground on August 24. The reverse fixture is the final game of the season at the Riverside on September 13.

Rose is excited by playing the new ECB 40-over League mainly on Sundays.

"It ties in with the development of the ground," he said. "Most of our Twenty20 games are sell-outs and it is best to play our one-day cricket at weekends."

The one-day Bath festival will see Worcestershire visit the Rec on Sunday, May 23 for a 40-over game.