AFTER six consecutive away victories which have transformed their season, Yorkshire were back at Headingley today to resume their push for promotion in the Championship, but director of cricket, David Byas, refuses to take Leicestershire lightly.

"It was a fantastic win against Lancashire on Wednesday in the C&G Trophy and we have also done very well on our travels in other competitions," he said.

"But we need no reminding that we have lost our last two Championship matches at Headingley and we have got to put some of our recent performances on the ground to rest.

"Different disciplines are required in Championship games to limited overs matches and we must make sure that we apply ourselves properly.

"We are in very good form at the moment and we go into the match with confidence but Leicestershire are a business-like side that cannot be under estimated.

"It is also worth bearing in mind that although we are challenging in all competitions we have won nothing yet and there is still a great deal of cricket to be played this season."

Like Yorkshire, Leicestershire have played two fewer games than most of the other sides in the Second Division and are nestling in mid-table.

Yorkshire, in fourth place, are only 15 points above them and the gap would be closed if Leicestershire were to emerge as winners.

With Anthony McGrath now in England's one-day camp as they prepare for tomorrow's warm-up match against Wales at Sophia Gardens, Chris Taylor, is poised to take his place in Yorkshire's line-up.

Despite scoring several league centuries at the start of the season, Taylor has not been able to command a regular place with Yorkshire but he batted resolutely in the opening Championship game against Essex at Headingley when he made 32 and an unbeaten 43.

Matthew Hoggard, although not in England's one-day squad, has been barred from playing in today's game because Duncan Fletcher wants him to rest up after the Test series with New Zealand.

Hoggard will be available, however, for Yorkshire's Championship match against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl next week and he can also play in the totesport League game with Sussex at Arundel on the Sunday.

Yorkshire then embark on a run of six one-day games and England have requested that Hoggard plays in four of them.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire have had to postpone their totesport League match against Nottinghamshire at Headingley on July 18 because of their clash with Gloucestershire at Bristol in the semi-finals of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy.

The C&G match is on July 17 but it can spill over into a second day if the weather intervenes.

A new date for the Nottinghamshire fixture will decided after the semi-finals have taken place.

Yorkshire from: Wood, Jaques, Taylor, Lehmann, Lumb, White, Gale, Guy, Dawson, Silverwood, Kirby, Bresnan, Thornicroft.

TODAY'S CRICKET

Frizzell County Championship

(Day 1 of 4)

Division One

Lord's: Middlesex v Worcestershire

The Oval: Surrey v Gloucestershire

Stratford-upon-Avon: Warwickshire v Lancashire

Division Two

Rose Bowl: Hampshire v Somerset

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Derbyshire

Headingley: Yorkshire v Leicestershire

Tour Match

Chelmsford: Essex v New Zealand (one-day game)

Updated: 10:45 Friday, June 18, 2004