DARREN Lehmann stepped down from Yorkshire's Championship match against Derbyshire at Derby today after the scan on his stiff back revealed an inflamed disc but the condition is not thought to be serious.

Vic Craven (pictured) came in for Lehmann who could return on Sunday for the totesport League match with leaders Middlesex Crusaders unless Yorkshire decide to give their star Australian batsman an even longer break.

They are without any cricket next week and would like to see him return fully refreshed for the few weeks before he joins up with Australia towards the end of August for the ICC Champions Trophy.

Lehmann has again given Yorkshire outstanding service this season but fellow countryman Ian Harvey needs a good match at Derby in order to improve upon his performances for the county so far.

Either side of tearing a hamstring and being out injured for a couple of months, Harvey has played in five Championship matches but his only reasonable score was when he hit 95 in the opening game against Essex at Headingley.

He has made even less impact with the ball, taking just four wickets at 63.25 runs apiece, and in the ten wicket defeat by Somerset at Scarborough last week Harvey was barracked during an untidy display which saw him concede 90 in 17 overs without taking a wicket.

His contributions have been somewhat better in one-day cricket but it is in the Championship that Yorkshire need him to shine at the moment.

Yorkshire are already 27 points behind third-placed Hampshire and after the present game they will only have six matches left, including two crucial clashes with Glamorgan.

Updated: 11:01 Wednesday, July 28, 2004