Yorkshire Phoenix have dropped Steven Kirby and are expected to leave out Matthew Wood for today's floodlit match against Warwickshire Bears at Edgbaston where they will be trying to end a depressing run of four consecutive defeats in Division One of the Norwich Union League.

Ryan Sidebottom returns from a niggling groin injury to try to spice up the bowling and he replaces Kirby who was flogged for 59 in 7.4 overs at Scarborough on Sunday when Leicestershire romped home by six wickets with 26.2 overs to spare.

Wood is in the squad of 12 but will probably give way to Michael Lumb but the two 17-year-old pacemen, Tim Bresnan and Nick Thornicroft, will hold on to their places.

A month ago, Phoenix were in the hunt for the title but they are now into their longest losing sequence since 1999 when they lost seven consecutive matches.

Cash-strapped Yorkshire will suffer a loss of pride but no immediate financial embarrassment if they make the expected drop into the Second Division of the County Championship.

But club chairman Geoff Cope - who is also in charge of cricket - warned that it could cost Yorkshire money if they stayed in the second flight for any length of time.

"There are still some decent players to watch in the Second Division, so gates should be unaffected in the short term, but the gap in quality is starting to widen," said Cope.

"It is imperative that if we do go down - and that is not certain yet - we must come straight back up and never get in that position again. One season is long enough in the Second Division and we need to restore Yorkshire pride as quickly as we can."

Yorkshire have not yet given up hope of survival but with only two games to go they are running out of matches.

And when they meet Warwickshire at Edgbaston on Thursday for their last away match they must come away with at least 11 points to keep the fight going.

Yorkshire from: Craven, White, Elliott, McGrath, Lumb, Fellows, Blakey, Dawson, Sidebottom, Bresnan, Thornicroft, Wood.