DREARY English weather and an awkward Headingley pitch combined to make it a difficult debut yesterday for Yorkshire's new 21-year-old overseas signing, Yuvraj Singh.

The Indian left-hander managed only 11 in the Championship match against Glamorgan but he was by no means the only failure as Yorkshire slipped to 190-9 before rain stopped play with 41 overs of the day still remaining.

At one stage they were floundering on 90-6 and it was left to Gary Fellows and the second half of the batting order to spare them from deeper blushes.

The damage was done by Australian Michael Kasprowicz, Bradford-born Alex Wharf and Welshman David Harrison who all exploited to great effect the pitch's unpredictable bounce and movement.

It was a tough day, too, for Matthew Wood who was captaining Yorkshire for the first time in the absence on Test duty of Anthony McGrath. His decision to bat first on winning the toss was a tricky one with the pitch appearing damp at the football end from the start.

Wood and Scott Richardson began so carefully that the only run in the first six overs came from a leg-bye and a couple of overs later Richardson got a ball from Harrison which stopped on him and he patted back a low catch.

Yuvraj was warmly welcomed by the Yorkshire fans as he made his way to the crease and he pushed a single to get off the mark first ball before giving a couple of glimpses of the sort of attacking shots on which he has built his reputation in one-day internationals for India.

He stood up on the backfoot to place Kasprowicz through extra cover for three and came forward to square drive Harrison past point to the boundary but his first innings on the ground came to an abrupt end when he played defensively at Kasprowicz and was caught at first slip by Michael Powell.

Michael Lumb again reeled off some glorious strokes which must be becoming the envy of his team-mates and he helped himself to three fours in an over off Wharf with a variety of shots before Wood got out in disappointing fashion.

Having spent 18 overs patiently assembling nine he tried to heave a long hop from Harrison over square leg but got a leading edge which lobbed to Adrian Dale at point.

Richard Blakey soon edged Wharf to Powell at first slip where the fielder held a nimble catch moving to his right and Yorkshire suffered their biggest blow the ball before lunch when Kasprowicz went round the wicket and bowled Lumb. His 39 coming off 90 deliveries with seven firmly struck boundaries.

With his place under threat, Fellows batted fluently but he soon lost Tim Bresnan, who flicked Kasprowicz straight into the hands of Matthew Maynard at square leg.

Kasprowicz moved smartly for a big man to hold a low return catch from Richard Dawson after he and Fellows had put on 36 together and the pitch was too much for Chris Silverwood, who nudged Harrison to bring Powell his third catch.

Dawson and Ryan Sidebottom produced the best stand of the innings with Sidebottom smacking two glorious off-side boundaries off Harrison but soon after Fellows had completed his first half-century of the season he touched a good ball from Wharf and was caught behind for 53 from 103 deliveries with five fours.

Last-man Steve Kirby tried to help get Yorkshire to a batting bonus point but light rain brought forward the tea interval and worsening conditions meant no further play was possible.

Updated: 10:31 Thursday, May 22, 2003