As Yorkshire geared up for today's championship match against Derby-shire at Headingley, director of cricket David Byas called upon the club's home-grown youngsters to stand up and be counted during the remaining weeks of the season.

This is the last championship game in which Australians Darren Lehmann and Ian Harvey will play for Yorkshire before joining their country for the one-day tournament in Amsterdam followed by next month's ICC Champions Trophy.

Fellow Australian Phil Jaques is due to rejoin Yorkshire on Sunday for the remainder of the season but Byas has decided not to scour the world for another overseas player.

"You cannot be sure that whoever came would either stay fit or keep his form over a short period of time," said Byas.

"Towards the end of last season, we signed Damien Martyn and although he was brilliant when he played he was out injured for a while with a broken nose and his arrival did not bring us promotion.

"Even if a suitable overseas player were available, his presence would mean there was one less place for our own lads and I want to see if they can take whatever chances come their way.

"We now have six championship matches in as many weeks right up to the end of the season and if we have gained promotion by September 19 I will be very proud that it will have been achieved mainly by our own players.

"If we do succeed it will mean that some younger players will have performed well enough to have won matches and this is something they have not managed to do so far.

"Chief executive Colin Graves is of the same opinion that the time is right to put up some of our own lads and see if they can do a job."

Left-handers Andrew Gale and Vic Craven are two such players and both were expected to play today, Michael Lumb having been dropped from this game because of poor form even before he twisted an ankle while warming up for Tuesday's totesport League match against Derbyshire Scorpions.

Craven shone in the championship match at Derby a fortnight ago when he made a career-best 81 not out and took a couple of wickets but what he now needs is to show greater consistency.

A win at Headingley will not be sufficient to thrust Yorkshire into one of the top three places but with a game in hand over all their close rivals it will put them back into the promotion race.