Beleaguered Yorkshire were hit by more problems at Headingley yesterday as they slumped to a crushing defeat by 244 runs in their Championship match against Nottinghamshire.

Even with a top strength and fully fit side they would not have stood a prayer of reaching a 499 target on an increasingly tricky pitch and they were bundled out for 254 with no batsman looking as if he could hold the team together for any length of time.

Even before play began on the third morning, Yorkshire were learning that star all-rounder, Ian Harvey, would be leaving today to join up with Australia in Zimbabwe for their hastily rescheduled series of one-day internationals starting on Tuesday.

Harvey had also been a casualty during the Nottinghamshire match, a hamstring strain preventing him from bowling in the second innings, but he is confident of being fit again for next week.

With John Blain unable to bowl again yesterday because of his calf tear, Notts were under little pressure when they resumed on 194 for four with a lead already worth 423.

In the first over, David Hussey drove Craig White through the covers to each his century off 94 balls with 15 fours and two sixes and with heavy showers around the Leeds area it was more a case of when Notts would declare rather than if.

White trapped Chris Read lbw to return his first three wicket haul in almost two years and Hussey eventually fell to Tim Bresnan when he drove over extra cover and into the hands of Richard Dawson on the boundary edge.

Bresnan went on to account for both Mark Ealham and Paul Franks in the same over to prompt the declaration at 269 for eight and Yorkshire went in to lunch on 54 for one, having again lost Matthew Wood cheaply.

A burst of rain delayed the resumption for eight overs but Yorkshire were soon on the slide and all hope of a substantial recovery evaporated as Anthony McGrath and White were each undone by low bounce which resulted in lbw dismissals.

Paul Franks had Michael Lumb and Harvey caught behind by Chris Read and although Simon Guy, Dawson and Bresnan all hit out freely for a while, Notts were never in any danger of having to come back today to finish things off. Yorkshire have now lost two consecutive Championship matches by hefty margins and will be glad of a break from the competition in order to regroup.

* Old warhorse Richard Blakey is recalled by Yorkshire Phoenix for tomorrow's totesport League match against Worcestershire Royals at Headingley in order to bring some much-needed experience to the injury-ravaged side.

And making their senior debuts in competitive matches for Yorkshire will be 20-year-old left-hand batsman Andrew Gale, from Dewsbury, and Hull-born paceman, Steve Patterson, also 20.

Yorkshire have suddenly found themselves without Chris Silverwood and John Blain, who are both on the mounting injury list, and also Australian all-rounder Ian Harvey who was today flying out to Zimbabwe.

The inclusion of Blakey for the first time this season means there is no place behind the stumps for Simon Guy, but director of cricket, David Byas, said: "I have told Simon that he has only been left out because of the injury crisis which means we need someone of Richard's vast experience in the side at the moment.

"Richard will play in the NatWest Trophy game against Devon at Exmouth next Wednesday and in the totesport League match with Scottish Saltires in Edinburgh on Bank Holiday Monday, but Simon will definitely return for the fixture against Essex at Chelmsford on Wednesday week."