Robert Croft is on England duty, injuries have claimed Waqar Younis and Darren Thomas, and if Steve Watkin is ruled out this morning Glamorgan have the makings of a crisis on their hands.

Matthew Maynard, their captain, has had a barren season with the bat and his team have not won in the championship since the first match.

Yorkshire, without three first-choice bowlers, take on second-placed Durham as underdogs, a scenario that at one time would have been regarded as preposterous.

Yorkshire's Darren Lehmann hopes to have recovered from an illness brought on by anti-inflammatory injections for his back. His inclusion in Australia's Commonwealth Games squad, announced yesterday, means he will miss Yorkshire's last two championship matches in September. Michael Bevan, of Sussex, and Worcestershire's Tom Moody are similarly affected.

Paul Prichard returns to captain Essex at Bath after a seven-week absence through injury.

Chris Ellison, an 18-year-old slow left-armer from the St Austell club, claimed nine for 80, including a hat-trick, on his Minor Counties championship debut for Cornwall against Cheshire yesterday. Ellison finished with match figures of 14 for 154.