WHEN Gary Fellows slipped quietly into the Yorkshire side for the first time towards the end of the 1998 season it was little more than a stop-gap measure during an injury crisis.

But if you ask Yorkshire fans why he now more or less commands a regular place they will reply: "For he's a jolly good Fellows."

And so say all of us.

The Halifax-born all-rounder, so quietly spoken that his nickname is Mouse, celebrates his 23rd birthday on Monday.

He's done so well this season that he should become known as Mighty Mouse.

Although not the sort to spring a tantrum or swagger about, Fellows has a steely determination that has been evident since his first appearance and from the start he showed a capacity for pulling games out of the fire, particularly in one-day contests.

This fighting spirit was never more apparent than in the NatWest Trophy semi-final against Gloucestershire at Bristol in 1999 when he almost turned the game on its head with some spectacular hitting in the closing overs, Yorkshire eventually losing by just six runs.

Last year he consolidated his position in the side and his presence became more valuable as he developed into a brilliant fielder, while at the same time being asked to bowl his medium-pacers more often.

This season has seen him go from strength-to-strength, bumping up his runs and wickets in the Championship, thrilling the crowds with great strokeplay in one-day cricket, and generally fielding better and running out more batsmen than anyone else in the side.

Yet it was not until the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy fourth round tie with Surrey at Headingley that Fellows really stepped into the limelight and became the focus of attention.

That was because of his record-breaking fifth wicket stand of 160 with Craig White, which rescued Yorkshire from the depths of 84 for four in atrocious light, and allowed them to go on the following morning to reach a stiff 244 target and win by six wickets.

White, showing the sort of elegant form expected of an England all-rounder, rapped out 73 from 88 balls with five fours, but even then he was upstaged by Fellows whose unbeaten and flawless 80 came from 89 balls.

It was calculated, urgent batting which never allowed shocked Surrey to get their second wind and Fellows showed his tougher side both on the field and later when he had scooped the man-of-the-match award.

"We have been a bit inconsistent in one-day cricket this season and sometimes we just need to back ourselves a bit more and show how confident we are," he said.

Fellows put his words into practice again in the floodlit match against Warwickshire Bears on Monday night when he had the fans gasping with the audacity of some of his strokes which showed how quick his reflexes are.

There were three memorable shots off consecutive balls from left-arm spinner Ashley Giles - the first a pull-sweep for six with great force through the hands of Vasbert Drakes who barely saw the ball on the long leg boundary, the second a breathtaking extra cover drive and the third an impudent reverse sweep off the middle of the blade.

Fellows plundered 40 from only 24 balls and this late act of defiance gave Yorkshire a final total of 234 for 6 which was far too high for Warwickshire.

Generally speaking, it is proving to be a great summer for Yorkshire and the Mouse that quietly roars is having a lot to do with it.

Updated: 12:07 Saturday, July 28, 2001