Yorkshire fast bowler Steve Kirby broke down with an undiagnosed back problem during the Second XI match against England Under 19s at Headingley this week and will now undergo tests to try to determine the cause.

Kirby captured a wicket in his first over but went down in pain after bowling his 13th delivery.

The red-haired paceman was troubled by his back during Yorkshire's opening Championship match of the season against Essex last week and because there was a doubt over his fitness he was taken out of the squad for the weather -hit game at Nottinghamshire and replaced by Tim Bresnan.

"We felt he needed to test his fitness in the Second XI and unfortunately the problems have resurfaced," said director of cricket, David Byas.

Kirby said: "I have had something wrong with my back for a few days and have arranged to see a consultant. It is bitterly disappointing to have an injury at this early stage of the season."

Meanwhile, Yorkshire are heading for one of their worst weather-hit Championship matches in recent times as they still await the start of their game with Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge following a second blank day yesterday.

If the game gets underway with less than eight hours remaining, it will become a single innings affair with no bonus points at stake. The winners would get 14 points and a draw would give each side four points.

The last time Yorkshire were involved in such a contest was against Gloucestershire at Scarborough in 1978 when Gloucestershire were bowled out for 161 and Yorkshire went on to win by two wickets.

If the current game does not get started at all, it will be Yorkshire's first total washout in the Championship since 1987 when they were due to play Sussex at Hastings.

* There was no play in any of yesterday's championship games.

* Sri Lanka superstar Muttiah Muralitharan produced a five-star show to help consign sorry Zimbabwe to a 5-0 whitewash in their one-day series.

Murali was recalled to the starting line-up for the fifth and final ODI and promptly returned figures of five for 23 off his 10 overs as Sri Lanka strolled to a 25-run win in Harare.

Chasing the tourists 50-over total of 246 for six, the makeshift Zimbabwe line-up had no answer to Sri Lanka's spin king, who claimed his eighth five-wicket ODI haul as the hosts slipped from 154 for three in the 39th over to 221 for nine.

It was tough on Zimbabwe's teenage opener Brendan Taylor, who proved a thorn in Sri Lanka's side early on after smashing three sixes and five fours in an entertaining 74 - his maiden ODI fifty.

But aside from Stuart Matsikenyeri, who contributed 37 to an opening stand worth 79, and captain Tatenda Taibu (26), Taylor received little support.

It was a different story in the Sri Lanka innings with a number of their front-line batsman making decent contributions as they finished on 246 for seven.