YORKSHIRE'S new captain, Darren Lehmann, today urged Darren Gough not to quit his native county.

Speaking from Australia, Lehmann said: "I think that Goughie definitely belongs to Yorkshire because not only was he born there but that is where he has always played.

"I can assure him that he will have the full support of the players and the committee as well as the fans.

"I hope he makes the decision to stay and that he will go on to finish his career where he started it.

"I would love to be able to help win another Championship for Yorkshire - and have Darren involved in it."

Yorkshire, meanwhile, are still waiting to hear from Gough over whether he has decided to stay or move elsewhere.

The club continue to insist that no pressure has been put on Gough and that they want him to stay.

But they remain at a loss to understand what has prompted Gough to speak out in a Sunday newspaper about his unhappiness, caused partly he says by back-stabbings from certain members of the committee.

Many members, however, feel less generous towards him following his remarks and several are believed to have indicated so in e-mails to the club.

Gough will meet up with Yorkshire officials early next week for further talks about his future.

He has already held talks with chief executive Chris Hassell, who claimed: "I'm expecting to meet up with him early next week - he's gone away for a few days to think about things.

"We've not given him a deadline or anything like that, but we do want to sort things out as soon as possible.

"There's no panic or anything like that except that while it remains unresolved, the rumblings continue and the whole thing gets dragged on and on."

Hassell added: "He's got himself wound up about comments that people have made.

"We've told him that we want him to stay at Yorkshire and he really has to ignore things like that."

It is hoped that next season's county cricket fixtures will be published next week.

Updated: 15:47 Wednesday, November 14, 2001