Yorkshire found themselves up against a Somerset side strengthened by the late inclusion of Sri Lanka Test star Sanath Jayasuriya in their first home Championship match of the season at Headingley today.

Jayasuriya only flew in from Sri Lanka yesterday but the intention is that he will open the Somerset batting with England's Marcus Trescothick and form a lethal alliance.

He is has joined Somerset on a short-term contract and will stay until the end of May when he will be replaced by South Africa's captain, Graeme Smith.

"We saw what a fantastic job Australia's captain Ricky Ponting did for us towards the end of last season and we feel confident that Jayasuriya will do the same," said Somerset cricket coach Mark Garaway.

Yorkshire know all about Ponting because they came up against him in Somerset's Championship game at Scarborough last July when he hit a dazzling century on debut and helped Somerset to victory by ten wickets in well under three days.

It was this defeat which effectively snuffed out Yorkshire's promotion push and they have every intention of making sure they do not suffer a further embarrassment at Headingley.

They will have to show much better all-round form than they did against Essex at Chelmsford last week, however, because Somerset have a strong attack spearheaded by Andrew Caddick, Richard Johnson and West Indian Nixon McLean, as well as an impressive batting line-up.

But Yorkshire knew that they were ring-rusty at Chelmsford and much of this had worn off by Sunday when they travelled to the Oval and opened up their totesport League season with a glorious win over Surrey.

So far, however, their new fast bowler Deon Kruis has failed to take a wicket and the South African is out to make Somerset pay for this early drought.

Matthew Hoggard remains with Yorkshire but it will be another fortnight before England captain Michael Vaughan joins them.

Updated: 10:40 Wednesday, April 20, 2005