Left-hander Andrew Gale joins up with the Yorkshire squad for tomorrow's crucial Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road in a contest which will see the losers slip into even deeper trouble.

The two sides prop up the North Conference, Northants having lost all three of their matches while Yorkshire were defeated by Derbyshire in their first game and then took a point from their washed out fixture with Nottinghamshire at Headingley last weekend.

Although Yorkshire enjoy a game in hand over some of the teams above them another defeat will see them become detached from the leading group and director of cricket David Byas knows that you get nothing for coming second in this revamped competition.

The side which finishes top of the North Conference will play the winners of the South Conference in the final at Lord's and Byas is keen for Yorkshire to make a realistic challenge.

"We need to start winning quickly and then keep the momentum going," he said. "It was very disappointing that we never even got started against Nottinghamshire but there is nothing we can do about the weather."

Discounting the non-starter, Yorkshire have lost their last ten one day matches in all competitions and a win is much overdue.

Gale, who has already notched centuries for Yorkshire Seconds and Yorkshire League club, Driffield, this season, is likely to gain his place at the expense of Joe Sayers while Australian fast bowler, Jason Gillespie, will be making his one-day debut for his adopted county.

Yorkshire from: Wood, White, McGrath, Lumb, Lehmann, Gale, Sayers, Bresnan, Guy, Dawson, Gillespie, Kruis, Blain.

Updated: 12:15 Saturday, May 13, 2006