Yorkshire v Warwickshire (C & G Trophy) : Match Abandoned

YORKSHIRE Phoenix's chances of finishing top of the North Conference in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy and qualifying for the Lord's final have again been hit by bad weather.

Their game with Warwickshire Bears at Headingley yesterday was the only one in the country to make a prompt start but the rain set in after only four overs and the match was abandoned with Yorkshire on 14 without loss.

It was the second rain-ruined home game that Yorkshire have had to endure this season - they never even got started against Nottinghamshire - and on each occasion they have picked up only one point from a no result contest.

Yorkshire beat Northamptonshire last week but lost their first match of the season to Derbyshire and so far they have acquired only four points with just five more fixtures to come.

Director of cricket David Byas is unhappy with the new format of the C&G and so are his players who feel there are insufficient games to make up for abandoned matches.

"Two out of our four games have fallen foul of the weather and we could soon be in a situation of not being able to catch up with the leaders through no fault of our own, " said Byas.

"If we get to the stage where I feel that we cannot possibly finish top of the North Conference then I will bring in some younger players and give them a chance.

"We have made a poor start to the season in the Championship and changes will be made generally if other players are showing good form."

Byas made one surprise late change yesterday bringing in fast bowler Mitch Claydon in place of left-hander Andrew Gale in an attempt to spice up the pace attack.

Claydon has recovered from the side strain he sustained on his Championship debut against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge and proved his fitness on Friday by grabbing four for 14 for the Second XI who shot out Durham Seconds at Hartlepool for just 26.

Ajmal Shahzad returned figures of six for 11 in that game and both he and Claydon are included in a strong-looking Colts team selected for their three-day Championship match with Surrey Seconds starting at York tomorrow.

First team openers, Matthew Wood and Joe Sayers, are both in the squad of 12 and so are the two wicketkeepers, Gerard Brophy and Simon Guy, and the two senior spinners, Richard Dawson and Mark Lawson.

YYorkshire Seconds (v Surrey Seconds) from: Sayers, Wood, Gale, Pyrah, Brophy, Bresnan, Guy, Dawson, Lawson, Claydon, Shahzad, Blain.

Meanwhile, England captain, Michael Vaughan, was one of the first to arrive at Headingley early yesterday morning and he was soon hard at work on his fitness routines with Yorkshire physio Scott McAllister, and coach, Richard Blakey.

David Graveney, England's chairman of selectors, yesterday refuted an article in a Sunday newspaper there were serious worries in the camp that Vaughan would never play for England again because of his knee injury.