AUSTRALIAN-BORN off-spinner and right hand bat Andy Gray has been included in Yorkshire's squad of 12 for the Championship match against bottom club Northamptonshire at Wantage Road tomorrow.

Gray, who is of dual nationality, is playing for Scarborough in the ECB Oxbridge Yorkshire Premier League this season after spending the previous two summers with Wilberfoss in the York and District Senior League.

He was given an outing by Yorkshire in their match a fortnight ago against Bradford-Leeds Universities at Park Avenue and although he took a couple of wickets he had little real opportunity to impress.

He also featured in the Colts one-day victory over Nottinghamshire at Clifton park, York, last month.

Yorkshire go to Northants with a healthy 28-point lead over Lancashire at the top of the Division One table and at exactly the half way stage of the season they are in with a great chance of lifting the Championship for the first time since 1968.

But with pitches hardening up and Champions Surrey and Lancashire still to play twice, Yorkshire realise that spin will play a much more prominent part from now on and they want to sift through all their options.

Skipper David Byas explained: "The fact that we have chosen Richard Dawson and Gray as our possible spin pair at Northants is in no way intended to reflect badly on either James Middlebrook or Ian Fisher.

"We just need to give them a chance to show what they can do but the door is also open for the other two who we know much more about.

"I think Dawson has got a lot of potential but he did not do a great deal of bowling against Leicestershire and that is why he has been selected again."

Gray has turned out for both Yorkshire and Worcestershire Seconds this season and at North Marine Road he has taken around 20 wickets and averages over 30 with the bat.

Steven Kirby, who has captured 20 wickets in his first three Championship matches, naturally retains his place while Ryan Sidebottom is back after illness and comes in for Matthew Hoggard who is preparing for the first Test with England.

The sparkling form of Kirby, however, means that there is no room for Gavin Hamilton for the second consecutive match.

Yorkshire (v Northamptonshire) from: Wood, Richardson, Lumb, Lehmann, Byas, Fellows, Blakey, Silverwood, Dawson, Kirby, Sidebottom, Gray.

Updated: 12:07 Tuesday, July 03, 2001