County Champions Yorkshire enter the 238th Roses match at Headingley today in circumstances which could not be further removed from last season's home encounter which brought up the first part of a winning double against Lancashire.

The stunning victory, in which Darren Lehmann plundered a record Roses score of 252, put Yorkshire firmly on the path to the Championship title - a far different scenario to the present game which sees Yorkshire rock bottom of the table and Lancashire only one place above them.

It's a match which Yorkshire need to win even more than their opponents because they will be left completely stranded unless they start stringing together some victories pretty soon.

Lancashire are in lots of trouble themselves but they have the advantage of a 17.5 points cushion over Yorkshire and also enjoy a game in hand.

If Yorkshire do not win the Roses match it is difficult to predict when, if ever, they will break their duck this season because next week they visit Championship leaders Surrey at Guildford and there will be no easy pickings there.

Although Darren Gough is due to play his first Championship match of the season today, a final decision will not be taken until just before the toss when he will report on any soreness which may still remain in his knee.

England are anxious for Gough to get in a first class game ahead of next week's first Test but from Yorkshire's point of view they need to be sure that he is fit enough to bowl flat out.

If Gough does drop out, then Tim Bresnan will probably take his place but it is unlikely that room can be made for Gary Fellows, who with Anthony McGrath put on an unbroken 128 for the sixth wicket in Yorkshire's C&G Trophy quarter-final win over Essex.

Tickets for the Yorkshire v Surrey semi-final at Headingley on July 31 can be picked up at the ground, bought over the phone with a credit card and a £1 booking fee or paid for through the post by cheque. Tickets cost £16 for adults and £8 for under 16s and senior citizens.

* Mohammad Kaif and Dinesh Mongia justified the cancellation of their flights home with a seventh wicket stand of 85 to save India from embarrassment against West Indies A at Arundel yesterday. The two one-day specialists came together with India struggling at 149 for six in their second innings, just 136 ahead.

Kaif was finally last man out, caught by West Indies captain Darren Ganga to give Jermaine Lawson his sixth wicket of the innings. The India total of 255 left the West Indies needing to score 243 to win off 40 overs in the final session of the three-day match.