IT’S a funny old game. Dom Bess knows that better than anyone.

From today through to Tuesday, he will line up for Somerset against Yorkshire in the Specsavers County County Championship match at Emerald Headingley.

Then, immediately afterwards, he will link up with the White Rose for a second loan spell and play the first 10 group games of the Vitality Blast.

It is an extremely rare, if not unique, scenario - but, says Bess, a little bit in keeping with a career which last year saw him debut for England in Test cricket before returning to Somerset and playing second-team cricket a month later.

“This is the funny thing with my cricket career,” he said.

“It always seems to bring up little things like this. I play against Yorkshire for Somerset and then the day after, I’ll be joining them for the T20 stuff.

“It’s amazing, but at least it saves me doing the trip back and forth.”

Make no mistake, however. There will be no split loyalties for the next four days, especially given Somerset’s position at the top of Division One having won seven of nine games so far.

The Taunton based county are chasing their first ever Championship title.

“That’s the great thing about sport. You have friendships and relationships, but when you go out on that field it’s about winning,” said Bess, who claimed seven wickets in their home win against Nottinghamshire earlier this week.

“When I’m playing for Somerset, I’m always trying to win. When I’m playing for Yorkshire, I’m always trying to do that as well.”

Bess took seven wickets and scored 156 runs in four Championship games for Yorkshire through late May and early June and impressed everyone.

“It will be quite interesting to see how they go about things against me because they know how I play and bowl,” he said.

“For me, I’ve got a bit of an incline as to how the lads operate as well. Hopefully I can use that to my advantage.

“It’s going to be really good fun. I’ll try my best to not get hit on the shin by Patto or Coady.”

The 21-year-old has taken 11 wickets in Somerset’s last two games to leave them 15 points clear of second-placed Essex and 55 points clear of Yorkshire in third.

“Somerset are in good form, but they’re a team I think we can beat on our home patch,” said White Rose coach Andrew Gale. “We’ll go into the game and make sure we give it everything.”

Another familiar face in the opposition will be Jack Brooks, as long as he returns to the Somerset team having missed their last two games with them opting to play two spinners in home matches against Hampshire and Notts.

But Jack Leach and seam bowling all-rounder Lewis Gregory are unavailable due to England Lions duty, opening the door for the ex-Yorkshire two-time Championship winner to return on familiar territory.

Brooks left Headingley in the winter having accepted Somerset’s offer of a three-year contract to Yorkshire’s two.

“Brooksy will be wanting to prove a point,” added Gale. “We know he’s a good bowler at Headingley in those conditions. But we know enough about him to be up to the task of facing him.”