DURHAM chief executive David Harker has warned Yorkshire to forget about any attempt to poach former head coach Martyn Moxon on the cheap.

Geoff Cook was confirmed as Durham's new head coach yesterday following his predecessor's resignation on Tuesday, but Harker has told Yorkshire officials not to regard Moxon's appointment as their new director of cricket as a fait accompli.

The terms of Moxon's Durham contract, which still had two years to run, allowed him to terminate his employment at Riverside subject to six months' notice.

Harker is keen to avoid a protracted wrangle with his counterparts at Headingley Carnegie, and is reluctant to place Moxon, a respected figure after six years service at Chester-le-Street, in a difficult position.

But the Durham chief has refused to rule out the possibility of forcing the Barnsley-born coach to spend six months on gardening leave unless Yorkshire make an adequate compensation offer.

"Given that Yorkshire have had their fingers burned with the Chris Adams experience (the former Sussex captain turned his back on a move to Leeds), and given they're about to contest a contract of employment because one of their guys (Anthony McGrath) wants to leave, they're not really in a position to test our resolve or try to poach our people," said Harker.

"In practice, Martyn can't go to Yorkshire until such time as Yorkshire approach us and make an offer.

"Obviously we've spoken to Yorkshire, and I expect to get a formal approach that will allow Martyn to take up the reins sooner rather than later. But as we sit here now, that isn't the case.

"There will have to be some level of compensation. This won't be a haggle because what's important to me in all of this is getting Durham sorted - which we've achieved through the appointment of Geoff - and looking after Martyn, because he's been a good servant to us and I wouldn't want to mess him around.

"But it hasn't been finalised yet. As long as Yorkshire aren't silly about it, I'm sure it can be resolved."

Moxon issued a short statement outlining the reasons for his sudden departure, claiming the strain of travelling from his home in Wetherby had affected his "ability to fulfil (his) responsibilities to the high standard (he) demands".

Harker was quick to praise the 46-year-old for his work at Riverside - survival in the top-flight last season represented Durham's highest finish in 15 seasons of first-class cricket - but he also admitted Moxon's position had become all but untenable once Yorkshire's interest became apparent.

"There came a point where Martyn had to either move to the North-East or find somewhere closer to home, and the complication obviously arose from the fact that he had a young family to consider as well," he explained.

"So when the opportunity at Yorkshire came along, it began to change the picture somewhat.

"Martyn's been a hugely popular member of staff, but it's important we look forward now. We consulted with a number of senior players, including the captain (Dale Benkenstein) and found out how the dressing room saw things.

"Every person I spoke to gave me the same message - 'If Martyn's thinking about going, let him go now, and if you're thinking about appointing Geoff, that's a good choice and we'll look forward to working with him'."

Cook is hardly an unknown quantity having spent almost 17 years on Durham's staff. A former England international, who skippered Northants for seven seasons, the 55-year-old captained Durham in 1991 before being appointed director of cricket 12 months later as the county made their first-class bow.

His primary responsibility has been overseeing Durham's Academy, a youth system that currently has four of its products involved in the England set-up, and he is hoping to achieve similar success with the senior squad.

While Riverside is firmly established as a Test venue, and the Chester-le-Street production line is the envy of the rest of the country, Durham are still to claim their first piece of silverware in the first-class game.

"This is a chance to make a significant contribution to the one thing that's missing from Durham's CV," said Cook, who confirmed he would not be seeking a second overseas player ahead of the new campaign.

After failing to win a new playing contract at the end of last season, former skipper Jon Lewis will be returning to Riverside as a full-time coach.