A BRUISED Darren Lehmann flew in from Australia yesterday in readiness to lead Yorkshire Phoenix in their Norwich Union League match against bottom-of-the-table Durham at Riverside tomorrow.

The Yorkshire captain returned home for almost three weeks to play in Australia's three one-day matches against Pakistan - which the hosts lost 2-1 - and it was while bowling in the final game that he sustained a freak injury.

A ball was driven on to the bat of the non-striking batsman and it flew up and hit Lehmann in the face, forcing him to leave the field in mid-over for medical attention. He was able to come out to bat, however, but was dismissed before he had scored.

"Darren is still a bit sore from the blow but there is no real problem and he is looking forward to being back in charge on tomorrow," said Yorkshire coach, Wayne Clark.

Lehmann will find the team in much better spirits following their clear-cut victory over Northamptonshire in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy on Wednesday and there is now a growing confidence that the darkest days are over.

The momentum should be maintained against Durham who are the only side in either of the two divisions still to pick up a point.

"I was very pleased with the way things went at Northampton," said Clark. "I thought we played some pretty good cricket on a good pitch and our bowlers kept it much tighter, particularly Chris Silverwood and Matthew Hoggard in their opening spells."

Yorkshire will be without their Test pair of Michael Vaughan and Hoggard who are joining up with the England one-day squad as they prepare for Monday's game against Wales at Cardiff before the start of the NatWest Series of matches with Sri Lanka and India which begin on Thursday.

Left-hander Michael Lumb and young paceman Tim Bresnan return for Yorkshire and it will be a particularly important match for Lumb, who is badly out of touch and needs a good score to hold on to his place.

Lumb was dismissed for one against Warwickshire Bears last Sunday and in the Championship match with Sussex at Headingley he was out for a duck in the first innings and a single in the second.

Anthony McGrath enters the game needing to make 26 to complete 2,000 runs for Yorkshire in one-day league cricket.

Lehmann's return has denied his temporary replacement, Simon Katich, a nostalgic visit to Riverside where he was a popular member of Durham's side a couple of seasons ago.

Katich has now gone back to Australia but he will fill in again for Yorkshire later in the summer if Lehmann is required for further international duties.

Yorkshire Phoenix from: Wood, White, Silverwood, Lehmann, Lumb, McGrath, Fellows, Blakey, Bresnan, Dawson, Sidebottom, Gray.

Updated: 11:16 Saturday, June 22, 2002