Yorkshire sprang a surprise by naming 18-year-old Liversedge born leg-spinner, Mark Lawson, in their squad for tomorrow's Frizzell Championship match against Essex at Chelmsford.

Leg-spinners are a rare breed in Yorkshire and the only regular one in the county's history was Huddersfield-born Eddie Leadbeater who took 201 first class wickets between 1949-56.

Lawson, who will be making his debut if he is selected, played for England in last winter's Under 19s World Cup in Bangladesh.

Last season, Lawson captured 22 wickets for Yorkshire in the Second XI Championship and 27 for the Yorkshire Academy.

Yorkshire's director of cricket, David Byas, said: "Mark has been bowling very well in the second team and if he plays he will bring variety to our attack."

"Every good team these days, including Australia who have Shane Warne, can call upon a leg-spinner and I see Mark as having a big future in the game."

Yorkshire's Australian duo, Darren Lehmann and Ian Harvey, arrived back in Leeds yesterday from their country's tour of Zimbabwe and Lehmann will play tomorrow but Harvey is still suffering from the hamstring strain which he picked up before leaving them a couple of weeks' ago.

Although Byas was not finalising his squad until later today, he will also have Steve Kirby and Chris Silverwood back from injury to counteract the threat from Darren Gough who is expected to be playing against his native county for the first time.

"There will be all the usual rivalry that you see when someone from Yorkshire plays against us but he is just another bloke that we have to respect," said Byas.

"He has lost some of the firepower that he had seven or eight years' ago but he has learned more about the game in other areas and I am looking forward to a great battle between his side and ours."