YORKSHIRE director of cricket David Byas has dismissed speculation Michael Vaughan will make his long-awaited comeback from injury this week.

The England captain has not played since being forced home from the tour of India in February by a persistent knee problem.

Reports suggested Vaughan, who has since resumed training with Yorkshire, would feature in the Liverpool Victoria County Championship clash with Kent at Canterbury starting today.

Byas said: ''Michael won't be playing. There has been talk of him coming back this week but that's absolute eye-wash.

''Quite when he's going to be back, I'm not sure. I can only say he's making progress.'' Vaughan could make his comeback in the championship match against Lancashire next week and return to the England side for the second Test on May 25.

But Byas insists Vaughan will not be rushed back into action.

''If he comes back sooner than he should then it would a waste of time, '' Byas added. ''He's very keen to come back, but when he's ready.

''He's worked very hard to get where he is and he's a mature, professional cricketer, so he's not going to throw that away.

''He's increasing his workload and we're monitoring him very, very closely."

Yorkshire will have their newball pairing of Deon Kruis and Jason Gillespie in joint action for the first time against Kent.

Kruis went down with a torn calf muscle days before the start of the season.

The South African was the leading wicket-taker for Yorkshire last season with 64 and the club believe he and Gillespie will prove to be one of the most formidable combinations in county cricket.

Gillespie has put in some long stints in his two Championship matches so far, bowling 83.1 overs for his six wickets.

Byas has complained that his batsmen are not scoring the volume of runs he expects of them, especially openers Matthew Wood and Joe Sayers, who have managed 75 runs between them in six Championship innings.

Both sides are desperate to win and climb up the table away from the relegation zone.