Gavin Hamilton's future will come under the microscope tomorrow when he plays for Yorkshire Seconds in their first four-day Championship match against Durham at Stamford Bridge.

It will be a tough examination for the 28-year-old all-rounder, who bowled ten wides in 1.4 overs for Yorkshire Seconds in a one-day friendly with Lancashire at Elland last week before taking himself off.

On Saturday, Hamilton missed the first hour of Bradford League club East Bierley's match with Hanging Heaton because he was on official Professional Cricketers' Association business at the NatWest Road Show on Channel 4.

It was two hours into the game before he could bowl and he sent down a couple of expensive overs before being taken off.

Hamilton was axed from Yorkshire's first team early last season when he lost all confidence in his bowling and for the remainder of the summer he played all his cricket solely as a batsman.

Since then he has received psychological help for his problem and during the winter his confidence was restored when he went to South Africa and played some matches for Wanderers in Johannesburg.

Hamilton was coached out there by former Yorkshire opening batsman Richard Lumb, father of the county's current left-hand batsman, Michael.

Yorkshire have not wanted to hurry Hamilton back into full-scale action but now feel that the time is right to see how he stands up to bowling in a four-day match.

Director of cricket Geoff Cope has admitted that the balance of Yorkshire's side will be much stronger if Hamilton is able to play regularly again.

"He is such a keen competitor who can perk up the side and he can win a game with either bat or ball," he said.

Hamilton, who is looking forward to tomorrow's game, said: "It was disappointing to lose my line at Elland but I always expected there would be occasions when I did not get it quite right and I only came off because I thought it was in the team's interests.

"There is not the same sort of pressure in a longer match because you can take more time to bowl yourself in but in a one-day game you have to be on the spot from the start.

"The Durham game is obviously a big one for me and there will be pressure but I can honestly say I am enjoying my cricket as much as I have ever done."

Updated: 10:54 Monday, May 12, 2003