YORKSHIRE captain Andrew Gale is considering leaving himself out of Sunday’s LV County Championship match against Middlesex at Lord’s with England batsman Joe Root set to return to the side.

Gale revealed the news after yesterday’s innings and 120-run win over Northamptonshire at Headingley, which was completed just before lunch on day four.

Root is playing in a second XI Roses match at Northop Hall in a bid to prove his fitness having broken his right thumb whilst playing for England in the West Indies last month.

His return to the side leaves Gale and first-team coach Jason Gillespie with one heck of a selection dilemma because everybody else but Gale in Yorkshire’s top six has runs under their belt.

It was thought that the call would be between openers Adam Lyth and Alex Lees, who got 90 in the first innings here. Lyth scored two halfcenturies in the draw against Somerset last week.

But Gale has thrown his own name into the ring after three low scores at Taunton and against Northants.

“There are a few selection issues,” said the left-hander. “I haven’t thought too much about it, but I’m obviously the one who hasn’t got any runs over the last three games. Do I leave myself out or not? It’s a decision myself, Jason and Martyn Moxon have to make.

“I said last year I was fine with leaving myself out for the sake of the team, but my record as captain speaks for itself.

“Someone is going to get left out who doesn’t deserve to. If you are playing in a Championship winning side, that’s what happens.

“I think it would be a brave decision, but it would also send a good message to the squad that if you’re in the runs, you deserve your place in the side no matter who you are.

“I’ve had three knocks this season, and I didn’t have a preseason (due to a hip injury). It was always going to be tough coming out of the blocks without playing a single game since January when I was in Australia.

“I still feel alright. I felt in worse touch at the same stage last season.”

Should Gale take that decision, Gary Ballance is the front-runner to lead the side at Lord’s having taken charge of the three-day friendly against Leeds/Bradford MCCU earlier this month.

Ballance, who cut a finger attempting a slip catch on Tuesday, sat out the morning session yesterday as Northants, who started day four on 145-4 in their second innings, were bowled out for 245.

Steve Patterson struck twice yesterday, but Jack Brooks finished with 3-76 in the innings to contribute to career best figures of 8-112.

Yorkshire claimed 23 points from their first win of the campaign, and Gale added: “I think we only played to 80 percent of our potential. To get 450 was a good effort on that deck.

“The top order didn’t strike with the bat, and there was a few more runs in there. Leesy played well, but the difference in the side was Gary Ballance.

“From a bowling point of view, I thought we were a bit ragged on Tuesday afternoon.

But, on the whole, it was pretty ruthless. We’ve still got quite a lot left in the tank.”

Meanwhile, Gale says Jonny Bairstow has an outside chance of playing in the Championship match against Durham at Emirates Durham on May 4.

Bairstow was ruled out of the first four Championship matches with a broken finger, but his recovery is coming along well.