YORKSHIRE'S new captain Darren Lehmann remains out of favour with Australia, despite being in magnificent form recently.

Having broken their duck after three consecutive defeats in the VB series of one-day internationals, Australia have dropped Matthew Hayden from the rest of the tournament.

But they have resisted any idea of bringing in Lehmann who last week smashed 143 off 130 balls for South Australia in their Pura Cup match with New South Wales.

Lehmann has also been successful in Australia's domestic one-day competition, scooping the man-of-the-match award four times in seven games.

Although Lehmann will not be available for Yorkshire's pre-season tour of Grenada, starting on March 20, director of coaching Wayne Clark will be present and directing operations.

One of his first duties will be to decide who to make captain on the tour - and his choice could be the first real indication of whom Clark and Lehmann will be grooming to take over the reins from Lehmann at some future stage.

Lehmann told me earlier this winter that both Anthony McGrath and Matthew Wood could be candidates for the job.

Yorkshire cricket chairman, Bob Platt, said that it could be a few weeks yet before the tour party is finalised.

"We really need to know first who will be on central contracts next summer and whether those of our cricketers presently playing in various parts of the world will be better off going on the tour or resting for a couple of weeks," said Platt.

Updated: 14:14 Tuesday, January 22, 2002