YORKSHIRE batsman Anthony McGrath will make his comeback from injury by playing in two matches for East Bierley over the weekend.

McGrath, voted Yorkshire's player-of-the-year last season, is recovering from keyhole surgery on his left knee after damaging it on the county club's pre-season tour of Australia.

"I am making a quicker recovery than was expected and I had no problems when I had my first net yesterday," he said today.

"I hope to make a couple of big scores for East Bierley and will be aiming to declare myself fit some time next week, but it may be asking a bit too much to be ready for Tuesday's Benson and Hedges Cup quarter-final match with Surrey at Headingley.

"I would like to think I will be fit for the Championship match against Hampshire a couple of days later but I will have to be batting well to be selected because the side have made a good start to the season."

Yorkshire skipper David Byas and Michael Vaughan continued to prosper in their first wicket stand against Derbyshire at Headingley today with Vaughan completing a chanceless 50 out of 91 without loss.

Byas's decision to go in first had paid instant dividends and it was Yorkshire's best by two openers since 1998.

The partnership was already worth 74 in 25 overs at the start of the second day in reply to Derbyshire's all out score of 239.

Vaughan, 41 overnight, added a single in Paul Aldred's first over and he steered Tim Munton to the third man boundary before going to his half-century off 93 deliveries with three fours.

Byas was also looking good and he found the boundary by neatly turning Aldred to long leg.

The partnership was worth 119 when Aldread trapped skiper Byas lbw.

The same bowler then removed Blakey in the same way leaving Yorkshire on 141 for 2 after 52 overs, but Vaughan, unbeaten on 66, looked set.