Yorkshire reserve wicketkeeper and second team captain, Colin Chapman, is expected to announce his retirement from first class cricket shortly.

The 27-year-old Bradford-born player misses Yorkshire Seconds opening championship match of the season against Somerset Seconds at Clifton Park, York, tomorrow with the captaincy being handed to Gary Fellows.

Chapman, who lives at Cottingley, has previously had spells out of the game because of epilepsy problems, and it is believed that medical reasons could be behind any decision to end his Yorkshire career.

He will continue to play Bradford League cricket, however, and has this season taking up a fresh challenge by moving from Pudsey Congs, where he has been for 11 years, to Baildon.

A brave batsman and busy wicketkeeper, Chapman has given Yorkshire outstanding service since making his first team debut in 1990, and the fact that he has played in only eight first class games is entirely due to being understudy to Richard Blakey.

Yorkshire have been fortunate to have such a competitive cricketer waiting in the wings and his loyalty was rewarded by his appointment as second team captain last year.

His highest score of 80 was made in the first class friendly against Lancashire two years' ago and in all he scored 238 first class runs for Yorkshire at an average of 21.63. He took 13 catches and achieved three stumpings.

Fellows captains the Seconds tomorrow because he is the most senior player available, Anthony McGrath having been called up to replace the injured Richard Harden in Yorkshire's first team at Taunton on Thursday, and Bradley Parker missing the start of the season with an ankle injury.

The broken bone in Harden's left hand is now likely to keep him out for at least six weeks, while James Middlebrook is expected to be missing for three weeks with his severely dislocated finger - an injury he sustained while substituting in the field for Harden against Gloucestershire on Saturday.

Former Yorkshire Test bowler Paul Jarvis, who has moved to Somerset from Hampshire, could be in the Somerset line-up.

Play in the three-day match is due to start at 11.00am each day.

Yorkshire Seconds (v Somerset Seconds, at Clifton Park): G Clough, J Inglis, V Craven, J Wilkinson, G Fellows, S Widdup, S Guy, J Smith, T Baker, N Carter, R Towler.

Meanwhile, York CC will play Goole Town at Clifton Park on May 9 in the second round of the National Club Knock-out Cup.

The format is 45 overs per side, with bowlers limited to nine overs.

Goole had an eight-wicket win over Steeton, of the Aire-Wharfe League in the first round, while York had a bye.

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