YORKSHIRE bowlers will be spearheading England's quest for glory in Zimbabwe.

Matthew Hoggard, Chris Silverwood and Ryan Sidebottom are the Tyke trio who hope to star in Africa in the five-match one-day international series.

The tour party have not had long to adjust to their new surroundings as they open the tour with a one-day game against Zimbabwe 'A' at Alexandra on Monday.

The Yorkshire threesome have all suffered with injuries during the summer and Silverwood only made it as a last-minute replacement for crocked Leicestershire bowler James Ormond.

Silverwood, who has six one-day international appearances to his name, was poised to make his home Test debut in the Ashes series but was forced out by a rib muscle injury which forced him out of the last few weeks of the campaign.

But when Ormond was ruled out the door reopened for Silverwood who proved his fitness in nets before the squad set off for Zimbabwe this week. The tour provides him with a chance to re-establish himself in England's one-day plans having played the last of his six matches over four years ago,

The Evening Press columnist is genuinely quick and could prove a handful on Zimbabwe's slow pitches.

Hoggard was called into the squad for the NatWest Triangular Series this summer after Andrew Caddick suffered a bad back. This trip is his chance to firmly establish himself as one of England's main strike bowlers at international level.

Although he has struggled with a foot injury in the summer the Zimbabwe tour will provide him with useful match practice ahead of the Test tour to India.

Sidebottom struggled on his Test debut against Pakistan earlier this year when he seemed to lack the pace necessary to test the best batsmen.

However, he has been a consistent performer for Yorkshire in all forms of cricket and looks likely to battle it out with fellow left-armer James Kirtley, of Sussex for a place.

A knee injury forced Craig White out of the squad but there is another Yorkshireman in the 16-strong party, Essex's Ripon-born Paul Grayson.

The former York and District Senior Cricket league player with Bedale was a surprise call-up as a replacement for the injured spinner Ashley Giles during the ICC Knockout Trophy in Nairobi last winter.

However, he failed to make much of an impression during his only appearance against south Africa, falling for a first over duck and bowling only five overs.

His off-spin could be useful in Zimbabwe where he will battle with Gloucestershire's Jeremy Snape for the slow bowler's spot.

Updated: 12:13 Saturday, September 29, 2001