ENGLAND Under 19s leg-spinner Mark Lawson was today waiting to take an important step forward in his career by making his Championship debut for Yorkshire in their match against Somerset at Scarborough.

Lawson, brought into the squad in place of off-spinner Andy Gray, was expected to make the final line-up this time after being selected against Essex at Chelmsford earlier in the season and then finding himself confined to 12th man duties.

If Dawson does get the nod, it will be great experience ahead of England Under 19s first Test against Bangladesh Under 19s which starts at Headingley next Wednesday.

Dawson, now 18, has already played in two Under 19s World Cups for England and if he continues to make good progress he could become one of the best home grown leg-spinners in the country.

Yorkshire would love to think that he will be up to playing for them regularly next summer because he would bring much needed variety to their attack.

At the moment, however, they are just relieved that former England paceman Andy Caddick, who has already bagged 41 Championship wickets this season, has not recovered sufficiently from his foot problem to play today.

Caddick has been a constant thorn in Yorkshire's flesh in recent years and at Scarborough in 1996 he outbowled Darren Gough to earn Somerset victory by 197 runs.

Their chief wicket-taker, however, turned out to be their current coach, Kevin Shine, who followed up his three for 55 in the first innings by grabbing 5-48.

David Byas, now Yorkshire's director of cricket, top-scored with 88 before being bowled by Caddick. The only two members of the present Yorkshire side who are survivers of that game are Anthony McGrath, who bagged a pair, and Chris Silverwood.

Yorkshire from: Wood (capt), Gale, McGrath, Lehmann, Lumb, Harvey, Dawood, Dawson, Silverwood, Kirby, Lawson, Bresnan.

Somerset from: Bowler, J Francis, Ponting, Hildreth, Burns (capt), Blackwell, Laraman, Turner, Dutch, S Francis, Andrew, McLean.

Umpires: Mark Benson, Barry Duddleston

Updated: 10:47 Wednesday, July 21, 2004