YORKSHIRE Phoenix will be at near top strength on Bank Holiday Monday when they have a double score to settle on their visit to Northamptonshire Steelbacks in a game which could see the winners go to the top of Division One of the Norwich Union National League, writes David Warner.

Steelbacks took advantage of a lacklustre batting performance to triumph by 60 runs at Headingley on June 25 and less than a fortnight later Northants won by 69 runs at Wantage Road to send Yorkshire crashing out of the NatWest Trophy.

Both defeats were severe setbacks for Yorkshire but Phoenix have rallied since then and a victory on Monday would be their fourth in consecutive National League games.

It would take them to the top of the table if current leaders Somerset Sabres lose to Sussex Sharks but with only Sharks (at Scarborough) and Kent Spitfires (at Canterbury) still to play after the Northampton trip, Phoenix need to round off the season with six wins out of six if they to be in with a shout of lifting the title.

Yorkshire's Test quartet of Michael Vaughan, Darren Gough, Craig White and Matthew Hoggard are all included in Phoenix's squad of 13.

Skipper David Byas, recovering from his cartilage operation, will travel with the party for net practices, as will Ryan Sidebottom who has been out of action since July 19 when he tore hip muscles on the first day of the Championship game against Somerset at Scarborough.

Byas anticipates being fit to lead Yorkshire in the Championship showdown with leaders Surrey at North Marine Road next Wednesday.

Yorkshire Phoenix (v Northants Steelbacks) from: Vaughan, Craven, McGrath, Lehmann, White, Blakey, Fellows, Hamilton, Gough, Fisher, Middlebrook, Silverwood, Hoggard.