Yorkshire have been boosted ahead of their crunch Championship match against Gloucestershire at Headingley today, with Australian Test star Damien Martyn back in their squad.

A win would ensure promotion to Division One for the Tykes and to add extra spice to what promises to be a fiercely-fought encounter, Gloucestershire have included Ian Harvey to their ranks - the Aussie all-rounder tipped to be joining Yorkshire next season.

Also making his last Championship appearance for Gloucestershire will be South African Jonty Rhodes, who retires at the end of the season despite being at the peak of his form.

Rhodes plundered a century in each innings in Gloucestershire's previous game against Durham and he has now hammered three tons in his last four visits to the crease.

Also anxious to make a big impression on his home territory will be Bradford-born left-arm spinner Ian Fisher, who has bagged five wickets in the last three innings in which he has bowled.

Nothing less than outright victory will do for Yorkshire after slipping to defeat against table-toppers Worcestershire at New Road on Monday.

"We played very well for large parts of the match against Worcestershire before falling away on the last afternoon but now we must be at our best all the time otherwise, we will not get promoted," said skipper Anthony McGrath.

The return of Martyn is a major boost for Yorkshire after breaking his nose almost a fortnight ago when he stood on 87 against Somerset in his maiden innings for his adopted county.

Martyn could easily have decided to catch the next plane back home, but he insisted on staying with Yorkshire.

He even spent four days with the team in Worcester where he took part in practice sessions and maintained his high level of fitness.

Yorkshire are not finalising their side until shortly before the toss but include Darren Gough in their squad, who was dropped for the Worcestershire loss.

Yorkshire from: Wood, Taylor, McGrath, Lumb, Martin, Craven, White, Blakey, Dawson, Gough, Kirby, Silverwood, Hoggard.

Gloucestershire from: Weston, Spearman, Hancock, Rhodes, Windows, Harvey, Russell, Gidman, Ball, Hardinges, Fisher, Lewis, Smith.

l England captain Michael Vaughan has moved to clarify his position on the state of domestic cricket following reports he advocated losing two counties to reduce the number of games players faced during the summer.

Parts of a Wisden interview yesterday reported that Vaughan had called for the 18-team county championship to be reduced to 16, split into two divisions with each club playing each other once.

However, Vaughan, said: ''I have developed through the county system myself, and I certainly do not support a reduction in the number of first-class counties.

''It's important that people all over the country have the opportunity to watch first-class cricket and the huge success of the new Twenty20 Cup shows there is a significant appetite for the game.''