Yorkshire have signed Australian Test batsman Damien Martyn for the remainder of the season and he is expected to make his debut in the Championship match against Somerset at Headingley next Wednesday.

Yorkshire lose Indian left-hander Yuvraj Singh after the current game with Glamorgan at Colwyn Bay and New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming following Sunday's National League clash with leaders Surrey at Headingley.

Director of cricket, Geoff Cope, has spent the last few days chasing Martyn and yesterday he clinched the deal with the Western Australian batsman, who was one of his country's heroes in their World Cup final win against India earlier this year.

Martyn has recently spent time recovering from a broken finger, but he is fit again now and anxious to play some Championship cricket in order to get back into top form. He is due to arrive in London today and will travel to Yorkshire tomorrow but will probably be allowed to rest up from the Surrey game on Sunday.

"The Australian Board have co-operated with us very well and have agreed to let Martyn miss a management consultancy course which their other Test players are attending this weekend," said Cope.

"I am delighted that a batsman of Martyn's quality is able to join us for the remaining three Championship and three National League games in September.

"He is a very good player indeed and his vast experience should be invaluable in the remaining weeks of the season."

Martyn has played in 33 Tests for Australia, scoring 2,000 runs at an average of 46.51, and in the World Cup final in Johannesburg in March he hit an unbeaten 88 in an unbroken third wicket stand of 234 with Ricky Ponting, setting Australia up for victory by 125 runs.

l Durham's Shoaib Akhtar was back to his unplayable best as Pakistan wrested control of the second Test back from Bangladesh in Peshawar yesterday.

The 'Rawalpindi Express' claimed six for 49 as Pakistan reduced Bangladesh, who had dominated the opening day, from 310 for two to 361 all out. Pakistan then advanced to 134 for two before the close of the second day of what is proving to be a thrilling match in a strong position.