Yorkshire left-hander Vic Craven is fighting to get fit for the start of the season after breaking a bone in his right hand while batting in the nets at Harrogate Grammar School where he used to be a pupil.

Craven, 22, who also plays for Bradford League club Pudsey Congs, has had an operation to pin the bone in order to speed his recovery and he hopes to be batting again in about three weeks' time.

Harrogate-born Craven said: "I had gone to the nets for a practice session last weekend with my dad and some mates and one of the lads struck me on the hand with a ball which was just short of a length.

"It was very disappointing to get hit when I am just starting to prepare for a new season but it would have been much worse had it happened in a few weeks' time and caused me to miss several games.

"Now I am looking to be fit to play for Yorkshire Seconds in their practice match with Bradford-Leeds Universities' Centre of Excellence on April 8 and then joining the first team squad for their friendly with Durham at Riverside over the following two days.

"It is going to be a very big season both for myself and Yorkshire and everyone is determined to make up for the disappointments of last summer when we finished bottom of the Championship table and were relegated."

Yorkshire's players set off on Monday for a week at the Oasis Leisure Centre in Cumbria, where they will sharpen up their fitness, and Craven is not letting his injury prevent him from making the trip.

"I will have the cast taken off on Monday morning and then go up to Cumbria," said Craven.

"I will be able to take part in the fitness routines and I am also looking forward to building up the team spirit."

Geoff Cope, Yorkshire's director of cricket, said: "Had Vic's injured been left to heal in the normal way he would have been out for two or three months but the decision to have it pinned means he will be ready for action again much quicker."

Yorkshire's new skipper, Anthony McGrath, who was unable to report back to Headingley last week because of flu, is now fully recovered and busy working on his tactics for the season with his team-mates.

"McGrath is looking very fit and so is everyone else," said Cope.

"The spirit is excellent and there is plenty of 'bounce' about the place which I find very encouraging."

Updated: 11:19 Thursday, March 13, 2003