Yorkshire welcomed back an old Aussie friend yesterday in Darren Lehmann, and also greeted a new one in versatile all-rounder Ian Harvey who has arrived at Headingley after five successful seasons with Gloucestershire.

Slate grey skies and pouring rain meant the pair were restricted to practising in the indoor nets as Yorkshire stepped up their preparations for their opening Championship match of the season against Essex next week.

Harvey is currently one of the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack's five cricketers-of-the-year, an honour which went to Lehmann three years' ago.

"It is a big thrill to be here and to have the chance to play at Headingley for Yorkshire," said Harvey.

"It is also great to have Darren Lehmann alongside me to show me the ropes and moving to a new club has given me a new lease of life.

"I feel refreshed and ready for the action and I cannot wait for next Wednesday and the first match against Essex."

Harvey's considerable presence in the Gloucestershire side turned them into the kings of one-day cricket with five trophies in the past five years but towards the end of last season he felt the time had come for a move.

"I didn't think they were doing their best to keep me and when they could not guarantee me a two-year contract I decided not to go back," he said.

"I had a chat with Darren who told me how good it was here at Yorkshire and it made it easy for me to accept their offer.

"Now I want to help bring success with me and I will be working hard to achieve the massive goal of promotion in both the Championship and the National League."

How much Yorkshire will see of Lehmann and Harvey during the first half of the season should become clearer next week when Australia select their squads for the tour of Zimbabwe but the pair are uncertain of what will happen in view of the current turmoil surrounding Zimbabwe cricket.

"If Zimbabwe drop 12 or 13 of the best players and field virtually a Second XI it will be a bit tough on them against a full-strength Australia," said Harvey.

l Robin Martin-Jenkins came through with head held high as he and his Sussex teammates endured fluctuating fortunes, beginning the defence of their Frizzell County Championship title against Surrey at the Brit Oval yesterday.

By his own admission, Martin-Jenkins had luck on his side with his first two wickets but had to work hard to double his haul and help restrict the hosts to 304 all out on the first day of the new campaign.

The medium-pacer was struck for consecutive sixes, over long-off and long-on, by dangerous Pakistani batsman Azhar Mahmood.

Mahmood (84) came in at number seven to rescue the hosts from 84 for five and share a seventh-wicket stand of 106 with Martin Bicknell.

But Martin-Jenkins still finished with a highly respectable four for 59 from 20.5 overs on a day which finished with Sussex 75 for none after 20 overs of evening batting.