YORKSHIRE'S Ian Harvey is responding well to treatment on his injured knee and will be fit to play in Wednesday's Championship encounter with Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

There was concern that the Australian all-rounder might have damaged himself more seriously when he twisted his left knee while batting for Yorkshire Phoenix at Headingley on Sunday and had to complete his innings with a runner.

But director of cricket David Byas said: "Ian responded well to ice-pack treatment yesterday and the news is pretty good. I expect him to report a further improvement today and there should be no problems for him at Trent Bridge, apart from possibly a slight curtailment in the number of overs he bowls.

"He is a pretty tough character and I am confident he will just want to get as involved in the game as he usually does."

Yorkshire's 19-year-old paceman, Tim Bresnan, is keen to create a good early impression against Notts after being drafted into the side as replacement for Steve Kirby who is not fully fit because of a back problem.

Bresnan, England's leading wicket-taker in the Under-19s World Cup in Bangladesh during the winter, was picked for only three Championship games last summer but is expected to figure far more prominently this season.

Instead of playing at Trent Bridge, Kirby finds himself testing out his back in Yorkshire Seconds' three-day game against England U19s which started at Headingley today.

"Steven was obviously bothered by his back during parts of the game with Essex and we need to be sure that he is fully fit for four-day cricket," said Byas. "That is why we did not want to risk him at Trent Bridge."

Yorkshire are set to meet Nottinghamshire with both sides at the top of the Championship table after each had collected maximum points from their first game, Notts beating Durham by an innings and 80 runs.

There is every chance of an absorbing battle between Yorkshire's batsmen and their former left-arm pace colleague, Ryan Sidebottom, who quit his native county for Trent Bridge at the end of last season.

Sidebottom missed the Durham game because of a hamstring problem but is hopeful of making the side tomorrow.

Yorkshire from: Wood, White, Taylor, Lehmann, Lumb, Harvey, Craven, Guy, Dawson, Silverwood, Blain, Bresnan.

Nottinghamshire from: Bicknell, Gallian, Warren, Pietersen, Hussey, Ealham, Franks, Alleyne, MacGill, Shreck, Sidebottom.

Updated: 11:03 Tuesday, April 27, 2004