YORKSHIRE'S recently improved form was being put to the test at Headingley today by Frizzell County Championship Second Division leaders Hampshire.

So far this season, Hampshire have yet to lose a match in any competition and they would have registered a third consecutive Championship win on Monday if Derbyshire's last-wicket pair had not managed to hang on.

Yorkshire, too, have made a reasonable start in the Championship with victory over Essex and a less convincing draw against Nottinghamshire but confidence has risen again with three successive one-day wins.

They currently rest in fourth place in the table with a game in hand over both Hampshire and second-placed Notts, while Derbyshire, who are immediately above them, have played two more games.

Yorkshire approach the match with new Australian signing Phil Jaques all set to make his debut and although they are without Darren Lehmann, who has now left for his country's tour of Zimbabwe, they are no worse hit than Hampshire who have lost captain Shane Warne for similar reasons.

The Aussie pair of Ian Harvey and Michael Clarke were still available for their respective sides but both are included in the one-day leg of the tour of Zimbabwe at the end of the month.

With Hampshire's former captain John Crawley absent with a knee injury, the side was being led today by batsman Will Kendall.

Hampshire have several of their bowlers in form, none more so than paceman Dimitri Mascarenhas who almost did for Derbyshire by grabbing 6-25 in the second innings to leave him the country's leading wicket-taker with 19 dismissals.

But Yorkshire have Matthew Hoggard in their ranks for the first time in the Championship this season and the England strike bowler showed at Taunton last Sunday that he is now working up to full pace again after taking a break following his return from the Test series in the Caribbean.

Steve Kirby has come through his fitness test on a back injury but does not return to immediate first team action. He was being given a run-out in the Second XI's three day match with Durham Seconds which started at Chester-le-Street today.

Harvey, however, is fit to bowl again after recovering from injuries, and Yorkshire have no place for 19-year-old Tim Bresnan who held centre stage at Taunton with a fiercely struck 49 and three early wickets with the new ball.

It was a performance which drew praise from director of cricket, David Byas, who commented: "Tim did outstandingly well in both skills and he remains very much a key member of the first team squad."

Also receiving a bouquet from Byas was Anthony McGrath who was due to make his seasonal Championship outing today after returning at the end of last week from England's one-day series in the West Indies.

McGrath went straight into Yorkshire's side for the totesport League match with Somerset on Sunday and compiled a confident 58.

"Anthony made his runs at a crucial time and they were a real boost to us," said Byas. "It was an outstanding effort after just getting back from the West Indies and I hope he can now make an important contribution against Hampshire."

Updated: 11:14 Wednesday, May 12, 2004