Having taken great pleasure in watching Yorkshire beat Glamorgan by a massive margin last week, new coach Wayne Clark was able to leave Swansea well satisfied with the progress made during his first full month in the job.

Under the guidance of Clark, who came from Western Australia to replace Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire have made it into the semi-finals of the Benson and Hedges Cup and worked their way to the top of the CricInfo Championship Division One table.

Clark deserves some praise for this good start but he's shrewd enough not to make too much of it and he's also aware that Yorkshire have been here before at this stage of the season before slipping away.

He will have noticed that last year and also in 1999 they won three of their first five Championship matches to fuel talk of taking the title but then went off the boil to finish sixth and third respectively.

This time, however, Yorkshire have suffered more than ever from Test calls in addition to having to cope with a high number injuries, yet they have not allowed these handicaps to worry them too much and they appear to be brimming with confidence.

So what has Clark brought to Yorkshire that may have been missing before?

"That is not for me to say, it is for others to decide," he said diplomatically. "But having had time to settle into the job I can confirm that I am enjoying it a great deal," he added.

"I have found the boys a very receptive bunch and I was instantly pleased with the positive way in which they approached their game. They are prepared to listen and they have a good work ethic which is tremendous.

"There has been a lot of positive cricket with the bowling becoming more disciplined and the fielding being very good.

"The batting has also improved and we have been putting some big partnerships together rather than relying on just one batsman to see us through.

"There have been some encouraging performances from a far-from-stable side. A lot of players have been in and out for various reasons and that will continue all season, it is not a one-off.

"England calls have hit us hard but I have been through this situation with Australia and I find it quite acceptable.

"I have met England coach Duncan Fletcher and had a chat with him and I agree with the way he is doing things. As long as England keep the channels of communication open with us then I am happy.

"Losing players to England means more opportunities for others in the first team and then younger cricketers also benefit by getting chances with the seconds.

"We have got a fantastic set-up there with Arnie Sidebottom and Steve Oldham doing great work and I just let them get on with it. I value their opinions and listen to what they tell me."

This is Clark's first visit to England and he said he found a greater intensity to the cricket than back home.

"In Australia you play one match and then don't have another one for a fortnight but over here there is not the same amount of time to prepare because you go straight from one game to the next. It puts more pressure on the players but they respond to it well and I was not sure that would always be the case."

Clark paid tribute to the Yorkshire fans. "I am impressed with their knowledge of the game and also with how supportive they are of the team, even when they have messed up a couple of games."

Yorkshire have a relaxed look about them at the moment and Clark has to take some of the credit for this. "Enjoyment is a big part of cricket and if you enjoy it and also work hard then it helps you to play better," he said.