There was no action on the field but plenty happening off it on the opening day of Yorkshire's Championship curtain-raiser against title-holders Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge yesterday.

Persistent light rain prevented any play but while Yorkshire kicked their heels in the dressing-room England captain Michael Vaughan jogged around the ground and batted in the nets for the first time since a knee injury forced his premature return from India in the winter.

Last week, Vaughan said he did not know when he would be able to hold a bat again, so yesterday's developments can be seen as positive steps on the road to a full recovery.

After batting for 20 minutes against a bowling machine operated by Yorkshire coach Richard Blakey, Vaughan said: "I feel okay but it is very early days yet. It felt good to be picking up a bat again and I am just hoping for a bit of better luck now."

Vaughan's net came on the day that England boss Duncan Fletcher said that Vaughan would have to play for Yorkshire before joining up with England and this strongly suggests he will not be fit for the Test series against Sri Lanka which begins in a month's time.

Fletcher has also given Matthew Hoggard permission to play for Yorkshire in their first home Championship match of the season which is against Sussex at Headingley starting on May 3.

Jason Gillespie, who Yorkshire signed as a world-class fast bowler and has now become a record-breaking batsman, could arrive at Headingley as early as tomorrow, according to director of cricket David Byas.

Gillespie, on his 31st birthday, yesterday racked up the highest ever score by a nightwatchman by making an unbeaten 201 out of 581-4 declared on the fourth day of Australia's second Test with Bangladesh in Chittagong.

The plan is for Gillespie to join up with Yorkshire just as soon as possible after the Test which ends today.

Darren Lehmann, Gillespie's South Australia captain and Yorkshire team-mate, said with a grin: "We will never hear the end of this for the next 20 years.

"It is fantastic for him, although he does block a lot of balls. He will probably want to go in at number four for Yorkshire now.

"I dare not ask him about it because he will just go on and on."

Byas added: "I am delighted for him and we will now probably have to send in a nightwatchman to save Gillespie for the next day."

Updated: 10:22 Thursday, April 20, 2006