YORKSHIRE'S director of cricket, Geoff Cope, may be forced to sign a second overseas player following the shock news that Craig White has had a piece of rib removed and will be out of action for at least ten weeks.

Cope was planning to hold urgent talks with captain Anthony McGrath and coach Kevin Sharp when the pair return from Yorkshire's friendly match with Durham at Riverside later today.

And if it is agreed that Yorkshire now require a second overseas player to support Australian left-hander Matthew Elliott they will go ahead and sign one just as soon as possible.

"We need to assess our strengths and weaknesses before making a final decision and it is important I seek the views of McGrath and Sharp first," said Cope.

The absence of White leaves Yorkshire with a gaping hole to fill with the start of the season only eight days' away.

He went under the knife in Leeds yesterday after a hospital scan last week revealed problems with his lower rib from which two inches have now been removed.

While awaiting the results of the scan, White told me: "I missed some of the one-day matches in Australia because my side was hurting and it was still bothering me during the World Cup in South Africa.

"I badly wanted to play in cricket's showpiece competition but I am now probably paying the price for doing so."

White has been told he needs six weeks complete rest and it is expected to be twice that time before he can bowl again which puts him out of England contention for at least three months.

"He may be able to bat in about ten weeks' time but that is a long way off and we will have to wait and see how he progresses. We shall certainly not be rushing him," said Cope.

With White out of the reckoning it is more important than ever that Gavin Hamilton, Yorkshire's other top all-rounder, is able to prove that he has got over the psychological problems which beset him last summer.

Yorkshire's batsmen blazed the trail in practice matches at both Headingley and Riverside yesterday.

Anthony McGrath celebrated his appointment as club captain by hammering 108 with 19 boundaries as his team thrashed 472-7 in 100 overs against Durham but Richard Blakey was even more explosive with five sixes and ten fours in his powerfully struck 118.

There were half-centuries for Matthew Wood (56) and Gary Fellows (54 not out) while Hamilton made 28 and Chris Silverwood an unbeaten 31.

Darren Gough's team also batted all day on the second and final day of their match with Bradford-Leeds Universities' Centre of Excellence.

England Under 19s fast bowler Tim Bresnan led the way with 102 off 79 balls with five sixes and 13 fours before retiring and Gough (79 from 80 balls with three sixes and nine fours) and Michael Lumb (72 from 74 balls with one six, one five and 13 fours) also enjoyed themselves.

Gough declared the innings on 437-9 and Yorkshire then went in again and were 70-3 at the close.

Updated: 11:53 Thursday, April 10, 2003