YORKSHIRE skipper David Byas earned the respect and admiration of everyone at Hovingham on Monday when he turned up on crutches before the start of his benefit match between Yorkshire and Sir Marcus Worsley's XI.

Byas, of course, should have been leading his side but his torn cartilage put paid to that.

Even though Byas was due in hospital for an operation that same afternoon he still considered it important to put in appearance.

"It was the very least I could do to show my gratitude for all the hard work which had been put into organising a marvellous day's cricket," said Byas.

Normally on a relaxing day out Byas could be expected to wash down a couple of beef sandwiches with a pint or two of Guinness but on this occasion he went unwatered and unfed - but only because he was being starved ahead of his surgery.

Everyone who saw Byas retire hurt at Taunton knew that it would be a pretty serious injury because the Yorkshire captain is one of the toughest characters on the county circuit and never complains about any mishap, although he's suffered quite a few painful knocks to his fingers while fielding in his customary position at second slip down the years.

Happily, he's making excellent progress after having a couple of inches of the cartilage in his right knee removed and the main problem the medical people will have had is in persuading him not to do too much too soon.

"I was able to bend my knee almost immediately after the operation and it is coming along very well," he said.

Although it was not widely known at the time, Byas had first experienced a problem with his knee on the eve of the Somerset match when he was practising in the Taunton nets.

"I felt the cartilage come out but it went back in again and I thought I would be okay," he said.

"On the day it really went, I had a swim with other lads at the team hotel before setting off for the ground where I did some routine training. I was all right up to the moment when it went again and then I knew I was in trouble."

Fortunately for Byas, Yorkshire are in the middle of a period without too much cricket and although he will miss next week's important match against Leicestershire at Grace Road, he aims to be back for the crunch encounter with county champions and current leaders Surrey, starting on his home Scarborough ground on August 30.

Byas is not the type to want to hang around indoors and his most frustrating time off all was on Wednesday when he was forced to watch Yorkshire Phoenix pulverise Lancashire Lightning with his feet up in front of the telly.

There could have been no better pick-me-up for Byas, however, than to witness the way in which Yorkshire made absolute mincemeat of their Roses rivals who are now in great danger of dropping into Division Two of the National League.

Although the floodlights were on they were not needed as the entire game lasted for only two hours and 33 minutes and all was done and dusted by 7.15pm.

The shortest county league match on record was between Surrey and Leicestershire at the Oval in 1996 when play was limited to one hour and 53 minutes, Leicestershire being skittled for 48 and Surrey openers Darren Bicknell and Alistair Brown then requiring only 27 balls to knock of the runs.

At Ilford in 1971, Essex's game with Northants lasted for two hours and 13 minutes, Essex replying with 45 for no wicket after dismissing their visitors for 45.

PICTURE: STRICKEN: David Byas puts on a brave face at Hovingham this week