Giles Clarke, the chairman of the ECB, is advising every county not to employ key Australian cricketers on short-term contracts before the Ashes series begins in July. He will be telephoning Kent this weekend about their signing of Stuart Clark, the fast-medium bowler who took 26 wickets in the 2006-07 series and will be looking to regain full fitness after an elbow injury during his six-week stay at Canterbury.

There is a feeling of disbelief within the ECB that Australians are being given the opportunity to find form and fitness before joining their country in June. In addition to Clark, Middlesex have taken on Phillip Hughes, the youngest scorer of two centuries in a Test match, for six weeks and Ashley Noffke, the fast-medium bowler who is less likely to play against England, will be lining up for Worcestershire. Other short-term signings may follow.

Geoff Miller, the national selector, said: “It is disappointing. My role is not to tell the counties how to run their businesses, but, from an England point of view, it does not help our Ashes situation. We are giving two players the opportunity to use our conditions for the first time in one case and to re-use them and get match practice after injury in the other.

“I cannot imagine Australia would do something reciprocal before we go over there next time or any time. I want England and the counties to work as closely as possible and this does not make the relationship closer. I understand why the counties concerned have done this, but it is disappointing.”

George Kennedy, the Kent chairman, said that England batsmen would be able to have a good look at Clark before the start of the series. “We have not been told in any shape or form not to sign an Aussie,” he said. “Was not Andrew Strauss sent to New Zealand for practice [playing for Northern Knights] ahead of the series against them in 2008?”

Vinny Codrington, the chief executive of Middlesex, said that he was aware Clarke had been in touch with the club over the signing of Hughes, but that this was after it had occurred. “Taking him on is not ideal, but then neither is losing [Owais] Shah to the IPL,” Codrington said. “Perhaps there should be a moratorium on both.”

Ian Lovett, the chairman of the club, said: “Giles Clarke might have had Stuart Clark in mind because he has been hiking himself around the counties. We signed Hughes before he played for Australia.”