With Yorkshire chairman Geoff Cope currently looking at contracts for next season, several players will be wondering if they are going to have a long-term future with the club, particularly as Cope has to work to a fairly tight budget.

One of those who must have been vulnerable is 35-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Richard Blakey whose presence in the side is keeping out the enthusiastic and ambitious Simon Guy.

But Blakey's situation has changed dramatically over the past few weeks and recent events have made it almost impossible for Yorkshire to come up with a good excuse for getting rid of him.

Even taking the season as a whole, Blakey has been mighty impressive with the bat and going into the Championship match against Leicestershire at Scarborough this week with 707 runs to his name was an outstanding achievement for someone regularly coming in at number seven.

It is a sign of Blakey's good form and the rather less impressive batting of some of his colleagues earlier in the order that only Michael Lumb of the current side with 716 runs has done better than Yorkshire's senior professional.

It would be difficult to let Blakey go on his batting alone but two other factors have emerged to make the Huddersfield-born player virtually fireproof.

First, there is Yorkshire's much improved showing in the Championship since Blakey took over as captain from the departing Darren Lehmann.

And then there is the excellent manner in which he led them to victory in that rousing Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy final at Lord's last weekend.

Already some fans are asking if Blakey would be a better choice as captain than Lehmann, although it is difficult to place too much blame on the Australian's tactics for Yorkshire's poor Championship season.

There is no doubt, however, that Blakey has responded magnificently to taking over the reins from Lehmann at a difficult time and he is now the obvious choice at least to deputise for Lehmann if he can make it back next summer.

If Lehmann's commitments do not allow him to return, then Yorkshire need look no further than Blakey - provided he is still on the staff.

With his future uncertain, Blakey showed real character in stepping into the breach and taking over from Lehmann, particularly as he knew that he would have to take the rap if Yorkshire's slump continued in the Championship and if they lost the C&G Trophy final.

But neither of these things happened and Blakey can now be given every credit for leading Yorkshire to their first two Championship wins of the season, followed by their Trophy success.

Another factor in Blakey's favour is that Yorkshire astounded and upset many fans last season by pushing out David Byas immediately after he had led them to the Championship title for the first time in 33 years.

Now Blakey has been at the helm in winning the season's showpiece final after a similar time span and there would no doubt be an outcry if Yorkshire did not retain him.

This does not mean to say that Guy should continue to spend the next few summers languishing in the Second XI all the time.

Although Blakey was involved in a Yorkshire record tenth-wicket partnership in the Norwich Union League match against Glamorgan on Monday, he does not usually play a significant role in this competition these days.

Guy should be used regularly in the Norwich Union League next summer and also in the new fangled 20-overs competition where his youthful agility and energy should serve him well.

There is room on Yorkshire's books for Blakey AND Guy - and both should be given an active part to play next season.

Updated: 11:13 Saturday, September 07, 2002