I've been laid up for a few days because of injury and missed going down with the Yorkshire boys to take on Somerset in the current Championship match at Bath.

But the good news is that I should be fit to face Northants at Headingley in the Norwich Union National League on June 24.

I picked up a strain in my lower abdomen in our win over Kent. I felt it a bit in the first innings and I managed to bowl seven overs in the second innings, but I could feel it getting worse so we thought it was best if I rested it for a few days. That seems to be doing the trick.

The Kent game saw Steve Kirby come in and make an instant impact with his seven wickets in the second innings.

He's turned into a bit of a revelation. He's a really sound bloke - on and off the field - who bowls his heart out for the team and bowled some seriously fast deliveries. We've given him another nickname - 'The Loony' to add to 'Crazy Ginger'.

As I was not able to play in the Phoenix game against Spitfires, Ryan Sidebottom, who is also on the crocked list, and myself entertained a group of Castleford Tigers rugby league players in one of the hospitality boxes and had a really good day - apart from the result.

Having a few days off has enabled me to catch up with a bit of gardening and look after the missus, Emma, whose recovering from an operation.

I also caught the end of England's last over defeat against Pakistan at Lord's on the telly and felt really sorry for Marcus Trescothick.

He played marvellously. 'Tres' is one of the best organised batsmen I know and concentrates really hard on his game.

I have played a couple of Under-19 games with him and also went an England 'A' tour of Bangladesh and New Zealand with him. He's always been a good player but now he has come into his own and his innings the other day was top drawer.

Although our Test record has improved considerably in the last few series our one-day record is poor. But Test and one-day cricket are totally different games.

But I can see that the England management are building towards the next World Cup. They are trying to work out what players to use and what game plans to adapt.

That means different players are being given a chance and Owais Shah is one that looks like taking that chance.

He reminds me very much of his Middlesex team-mate Mark Ramprakash. There are some quite uncanny similarities between Owais and 'Ramps' in their style and if Owais keeps a regular place in the one-day team he needs to try to break into the Test side.

Yorkshire have a three-day university game at Park Avenue next week but I don't think any of the first teamers will be playing so, fingers crossed, I hope to be in action against the Steelbacks in that Sunday game at Headingley in nine days' time.

Updated: 15:13 Monday, June 18, 2001