If the game on Aug 13 even approaches the passion and skill of their Benson and Hedges Cup semi-final epic in June, English cricket will be well served. A Lancashire-style one-wicket victory off the last ball would suit Yorkshire nicely.

The draw brought a major game to the Oval, where Surrey meet Essex and could attract the biggest crowd there for many years to see if Graham Gooch can reach Lord's again as a player.

Essex and Yorkshire are seeking clearance from the Australian Cricket Board of Control for Stuart Law and Michael Bevan to play. Both batsmen are due to link up with the Australian party in Queensland on Aug 15 for the planned tour of Sri Lanka. The counties hope the Australians will agree to Law and Bevan delaying their flight from London until Aug 14.

Treble-hunting Surrey have no Britannic Assurance Championship game today and will lose joint top place by the weekend to Leicestershire, Yorkshire and possibly Kent.

Hick is making his first championship appearance outside Worcester for more than two months.

Yorkshire continue their argument with Sussex, this time at Eastbourne, after knocking them out of the NatWest Trophy at Hove on Tuesday. After their defeat by Somerset at Scarborough last weekend, Yorkshire are unlikely to take this third seaside outing lightly or let their minds wander forward to Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire were last night considering two rival schemes to build a state-of-the-art headquarters for the 21st century. The deadline for bids for a new ground closed yesterday with two options, greenfield sites close to the M1 at Wakefield and near the A1 north of Leeds, on the table.

It is thought Yorkshire will opt for a new stadium rather than the re-development of Headingley, which they currently lease from the Leeds Football, Cricket and Athletic Club.

Kent, in fourth place, play Worcestershire with Carl Hooper as captain in place of the injured Steve Marsh, the successor to Mark Benson.

Graeme Hick, however world-weary, and Tom Moody, with six championship hundreds, always pose a threat for Worcestershire but seamer Phil Newport is still out after suffering a recurrence of an Achilles tendon injury.

Hick is making his first championship appearance outside Worcester for more than two months. He may or may not be dropped for next week's Test but a duck or a double ton at Canterbury is unlikely to make a difference.