Yorkshire are expected to confirm within the next few days that Darren Lehmann will be joining them in September for their last three Championship matches and four totesport League games.

The Australian left-hander, who returns to Yorkshire next season for the final year of his contract, is set to replace compatriot Phil Jaques, who leaves early next month for the Australia 'A' tour of Pakistan.

If Yorkshire had won their last two Championship games at Taunton and Old Trafford instead of drawing them, then director of cricket David Byas may have felt that promotion was assured and that Jaques' place could have been filled by one of the club's own younger batsmen.

But with five teams now contesting the three promotion spots, Yorkshire need Lehmann to boost their chances of going up.

Lehmann was in England earlier this summer promoting his new book and doing television commentary work but he has had to return home as a witness in the trial following the death of his South Australia mentor and former Test player, David Hookes.

Yorkshire are believed to be in the process of checking with Lehmann just when the trial will leave him free to join up with the team.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire were today due to begin their Championship clash at Scarborough with second division leaders Durham.

Anthony McGrath goes into the game requiring just 54 runs to complete 1,000 runs for the first time. The Bradford-born batsman has been in excellent form this summer and, as well as completing three centuries, has hit at least 90 runs in each of the last four Championship games.

Captain Craig White is also in top nick and has been unbeaten in five of his last six Championship innings. In the previous match against Lancashire at Headingley he played two superb innings to emerge with scores of 110 not out and 66no.

Like McGrath, White has never made 1,000 runs in a season and he enters the Durham game with 745 which leaves him wanting a further 255 runs from the last four matches to hit the target.

Updated: 10:34 Wednesday, August 24, 2005