YORKSHIRE captain Craig White broke down during last night's Twenty20 Cup victory over Lancashire with a crippling knee injury and will be out of action for some time.

A deeply frustrated White had to hobble around on crutches with his left knee locked after retiring hurt and he was having a scan today but he looks certain to be out for several weeks if he has damaged a cartilage.

White only returned to action at the weekend following a hamstring strain and he was looking forward to helping Yorkshire overcome Gloucestershire at Bristol on Saturday in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy semi-final.

"I am absolutely gutted to pick up this injury but I will have to wait and see what the scan reveals before I know how long I will be sidelined," he said.

Wicketkeeper Ismail Dawood also misses the C & G battle following the discovery that he is ineligible to play in the match.

His place will be taken by the experienced Richard Blakey who also replaced the unfortunate Dawood in last night's match at Headingley.

Yorkshire were forced to change their plans when Dawood yesterday told director of cricket, David Byas, that he had played for Minor Counties' side Herefordshire in the second round of the competition in May when they were beaten by Worcestershire.

"I checked up and found that we were not permitted to play Dawood but Blakey is very experienced and is his obvious replacement," said Byas.

"It then made sense to include Blakey in the Twenty-20s in order to make sure that he is fully prepared for the big day on Saturday."

Dawood's misfortune is good news for Blakey who now stands a fair chance of playing in another Lord's final 17 years after his first when Yorkshire beat Northamptonshire in the 1987 Benson and Hedges Cup.

Two years' ago, Worcestershire overcame Gloucestershire in the C&G Trophy before it was discovered that Kabir Ali had already played for a Minor County in a previous round. The game had to be replayed and this time Gloucestershire won and made it through to the final.

All-rounder Ian Harvey hammered a brilliant quickfire century and captured two wickets against Lancashire on his return to action after injury last night.

It was the perfect warm-up for his return on Saturday to his old club Gloucestershire where he had an oustanding record in one-day cricket.

Updated: 10:56 Thursday, July 15, 2004