Second Eleven ready to step up.

With the selection of Adil Rashid and Tim Bresnan for the England Lions team and the imminent departure of Michael Vaughan and Matthew Hoggard there will soon be opportunities for the county's second eleven players.

The LV County Championship game against Warwickshire has seen Mark Lawson's first call up, Simon Guy has stepped in to replace Gerrard Brophy and Richard Pyrah has also been included in the 13 man squad.

So The Yorker decided to investigate how these, and other, second string players have been performing so far this season in the Second Eleven Championship.

After Mark Lawson's prolific partnership with Adil Rashid last season ensured Yorkshire would have the chance to compete for the 2007 Division 1 title, first team opportunities have been thin on the ground. The wet weather and good form of Yorkshire's pace attack has left little room for a second spinner alongside all-rounder Rashid.

Lawson may not have bowled any first team overs but he has sent down more second eleven deliveries, 564, than all other bowlers except Nick Thornicroft. The young leg spinner has taken six wickets as a pricey average of 68.50. However the damp conditions have not been ideal and no doubt some improved weather will produce more turn and bounce.

Lawson's fellow spinner, and Yorkshire's Twenty20 Cup hero, David Wainwright has faced similar problems in the Second Eleven Championship taking only five wickets at an average of 53.20 from 414 balls. What stands out about Wainwright's figures is his batting average of 39 from three innings, which include no not outs and a top score of 80. This compares favourably with Lawson who has batted with an average of 23 from seven innings including two not outs. Clearly both have some ability in this area and may yet develop into handy batsmen as well as quality bowlers.

Another player involved in Yorkshire's survival season but currently plying his trade outside the first team is Simon Guy. Despite the disappointment of playing second fiddle to Gerrard Brophy the enthusiastic Guy has applied himself and currently has a healthy batting average of 83.66 from four innings one of which was undefeated. His top score of 121 suggests he could well contribute vital runs against Warwickshire.

The third wicket keeper, England under-19 captain, Greg Wood has also played consistently for the second string notching up an average of 43.66 with a century and three 50s from nine innings. Should one of Brophy or Guy not be retained for 2008 Wood will be next in line.

Of the young batsmen waiting in the wings the next up is Andrew Gale. The Dewsbury born left-hander has been patiently compiling an average of 65.20 this year and contributed well in the Twenty20 Cup. Next season the single overseas player rule means that Younus Khan may not be with the county. With Craig White not getting any younger Gale could well be given the chance to cement himself as the young up and coming batsman in a line up surrounded by White, Jacques Rudolph, Anthony McGrath, Michael Vaughan and Joe Sayers.

The forgotten man of Yorkshire is Matthew Wood. The former vice captain has lost out in his duel with Joe Sayers who has made the opening position his own with some fine innings. Wood, a popular player in the dressing room, is the second eleven's highest run scorer with 393 runs at an average of 43.66. Should any injuries befall Yorkshire's stellar batting line up Wood can realistically hope for some first team action. However one fears he may have to move counties to get a regular first team spot, something many Yorkshire fans would be sad to see.

Of the pace bowlers Nick Thornicroft stands out with 12 wickets but each one has cost 40 runs something which may have contributed to him falling behind Ajmal Shahzad in the pecking order for Championship selection and the all rounders Richard Pyrah and Chris Gilbert in the one dayers.

Shahzad has taken nine wickets at 32 and performed well against Durham and Sussex for the first team. Pyrah's figures of eight wickets at 19 suggests he could well be ready for a first team call up and his solid batting and superb fielding has seen him already feature in the Friends Provident Trophy and Twenty20 Cup. Fellow all rounder Chris Gilbert showed how explosive his batting can be in the Twenty20 but his second eleven bowling has recouped only three wickets at 96. Both Pyrah and Gilbert could be given Pro40 games in which to show what they can do. The latest pacemen to come off the Yorkshire conveyor belt is Oliver Hannon-Dalby. The tall right arm quick has taken 7 wickets at 22 including a devastating 6 for 32 showing that on his day he can be as good as any of Yorkshire's up and coming bowlers.

As Yorkshire gun for the 2007 County Championship it will be interesting to see which of these young hopefuls get the chance to carry the county's future hopes in 2008 and beyond.

Phoenix rise from the ashes.

After Yorkshire's start to the 2007 Twenty20 Cup, progression to the knock-out phase looked as bleak as the June weather.

However a remarkable second half saw the White Rose rack up four successive victories to knock holders Leicestershire out of the competition and claim a quarter final berth.

The Foxes put Yorkshire to the sword in the opening Twenty20 match in front of the Sky cameras but after some terrible weather they found their campaign fizzle out with their showdown match against Lancashire abandoned before a ball was bowled.

Yorkshire can now look forward to a quarter final match against County Champions Sussex and can take great heart from some gutsy performances to come back from the dead in the most lucrative of county cricket competitions.

The Yorkshire coffers will no doubt benefit from further Twenty20 action and Yorkshire fans will be hoping the tie will be picked to be shown live on Sky. With the respective Championship positions of both Yorkshire and Sussex and the Chris Adams saga of the winter the outlook is bright for the match to be televised.

Another benefit to come from the Twenty20 success is that it gives the younger players such as Andrew Gale, Chris Gilbert, Richard Pyrah and David Wainwright further first team action, something that may not be possible in the Championship such is the depth of quality batting and bowling at Yorkshire's disposal.

Yorkshire can also now take some winning momentum into a flurry of 4-day Championship games starting off with the Roses match at Old Trafford.

All in all, a successful Twenty20 competition for Yorkshire, who despite not playing the best cricket in the competition will be keen to give a good account of themselves at Hove in the next round.