Matthew Hoggard could be set for a return to Yorkshire’s one-day side when they begin their Pro40 League campaign under lights against Worcestershire at New Road tonight.

The 32 year-old former England seamer has been out in the wilderness as far as white ball cricket is concerned since bowling six expensive overs in the Friends Provident Trophy semi-final defeat against Essex last July.

“Hoggy will be in the squad.

I think that he has bowled a lot better of late,” said captain Anthony McGrath. “He has not played any one-day cricket yet, but he is keen to play.

“He has wanted to play all year. He has not had much one-day bowling, and we just felt that we couldn’t get him in the team. But we have had a couple of injuries, and Hoggy has come into some real form.”

Hoggard’s situation has been made very public of late, with him stalling on a new contract at Headingley.

He is refusing to be rushed into penning a new deal with his home county, stating a lack of one-day cricket as one of the reasons.

It has sparked interest from tonight’s opponents, who have put in a 28-day notice to speak to the player.

McGrath insists the situation has not affected the player’s attitude: “He is a pretty private person, and he is sorting that out with the club.

“I have not really discussed that with him. Everybody knows Hoggy is a personality.

In terms of how he has been around the place he has been no different.”