But the common thread intertwining these high priests of pace bowling is, unfortunately, injury. They have all been laid low by injury at some time or the other. So what makes fast bowlers break down? A simplistic reason would be excessive cricket.

Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga in Sharjah, bemoaned the poor planning of itineraries by the International Cricket Council. ``The amount of cricket being played is not good at all. It will first fell fast bowlers and then other cricketers on whom the wear and tear is lesser,'' he said.

The ICC, in fact, took a decision a couple of years ago that no country ought to play more than 25 One-DayInternationals in a year. Test cricket's itinerary is well planned and in advance and ICC was seized only by the excessive one-day internationals.

However, ICC's guidelines has been largely ignored, particularly by India, who see in the one-dayers an opportunity to rake in money and also spread the game. India played 38 ODIs last year and 40 this year. Other countries, too, have not been lagging, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, have also been playing more than 25 ODIs each year.

``Either the number of matches must come down or pacemen must learn to conserve their energy,'' says Roger Binny, former India medium pacer.

``There is a lot more cricket for sure. But besides bowling there is also a lot more throwing today, whether from the deep or from one-run saving positions. This places an excessive strain on the body and leads to back and shoulder injuries or shin, ankle, knee stress injuries,'' he added.

Javagal Srinath, who broke down with a rotator cuff shoulder injury immediately after the SouthAfrican tour early last year, came back after an operation in South Africa and a stint with the Australian Cricket Academy and stated that it was his throwing that was causing problem.

Thus the solution for a longer career would be to pick and choose matches or work out a different training regimen altogether. This is what has seized cricketing experts in Australia and South Africa. They acknowledge that cricketers play lesser than professional tennis players (who also use as much of arm, shoulder, back and feet in their sport) but have more number of injuries.

South Africa choose to rest their key men, Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock and use them only for major series. However the Board gives them full pay irrespective of the fact whether they play or not.

On Agarkar himself, Binny concluded with: ``His frame is smaller. Thus he places far more stress on his body than even Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad who have a bigger build. Every ball he tries to bowl fast takes a toll on his body. My feeling is heshould work on his body also.''