Darren Gough will take another big step on his road to a full recovery when he leads a Yorkshire XI in their two-day friendly against Bradford-Leeds Universities' Centre of Excellence at Headingley next Tuesday and Wednesday.

Another Yorkshire XI play Durham at Riverside on Wednesday and Thursday and this is a particularly important game for all-rounder Gavin Hamilton, who will be able to see if his confidence with the ball has returned.

Geoff Cope, the Yorkshire director of cricket, stressed that no significance is attached to the composition of the two sides.

"We just want to make sure that everyone gets in as much cricket as they possibly can as we make our final preparations for the new season," he said.

"With new captain Anthony McGrath in charge of the side at Durham, we asked Darren if he would lead Yorkshire out at Headingley and he said he would be delighted to do so."

Gough is very pleased with the progress he is making on his knee and in a match at Headingley this week between sides made up of Yorkshire's squad players he bowled around 25 overs, several of them at top pace.

After a good bowl yesterday he said: "I have sent down a few overs and taken a couple of wickets and everything appears to be going fine."

The past 18 months have been ruinous for Gough, who has had to endure three operations on his right knee, but the signs now are promising that he still has a few seasons cricket left in him both for Yorkshire and England.

Last summer, he was rushed back too soon by England for the one-day internationals but in his only Championship appearance for Yorkshire - against Lancashire at Headingley in mid-July - he broke down again and has not played since.

Hamilton's final appearance for Yorkshire last season was against Sussex in June when one over cost him 17 runs as his confidence totally deserted him.

He did not bowl again either for Yorkshire Seconds or Bradford League club East Bierley but now fingers are crossed that he has got over his problems and can play a big part in helping Yorkshire win promotion to Division One of the Championship at the first attempt.

In both of next week's games, it has been agreed that the sides will bat 12 players but field 11.

Yorkshire and England fast bowler, Matthew Hoggard, who has been resting up since his long winter abroad with England, returns to Headingley on Monday and will spend the week having gentle workouts with the ball.

England have said that Hoggard can play for Yorkshire in the opening Championship match of the season against Northamptonshire at Headingley but Michael Vaughan will have to wait until the game against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl, starting on April 30, before he is available.

England would have made Vaughan available from the start if he had been 100 per cent fit but they want him to rest the knee which is still sore following an operation last autumn.

Although it did not stop him from being in dazzling form with the bat for England this winter it did prevent him from bowling in the Ashes series.

Yorkshire (v Bradford-Leeds Universities at Headingley): Gough (captain), Gale, Pyrah, Lumb, Bresnan, Gilbert, Ellis, Gray, Guy, Lawson, Thornicroft, Sidebottom.

Yorkshire (v Durham at Riverside): McGrath (captain), Wood, Richardson, Taylor, Blakey, Fellows, Hamilton, Swanepoel, Dawson, Silverwood, Kirby, Stiff.

Updated: 11:47 Saturday, April 05, 2003