The scene is set for the Roses showdown at Headingley tomorrow between David Byas and Darren Gough - a confrontation which the former Yorkshire captain has already likened to that between Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis.

When he made that light-hearted comment, however, Byas did not specify which role each of them would be playing!

With Gough not having featured in the Championship for Yorkshire since the Roses match at Headingley last July, it was beginning to look as if the two combatants would never come face to face until England this week agreed to Gough turning out against Lancashire to give him some serious cricket ahead of the first Test with India at Lord's.

So far Gough has only played in limited-overs matches since his two knee operations and England want to see how he stands up to some longer spells of bowling.

Although there has never been any serious bust-up between the pair, Byas has sometimes questioned Gough's commitment to Yorkshire and he was quietly incensed at some of the remarks Gough made about him in his book last year.

Further exchanges were reported last December, when Gough said he was thinking of quitting Yorkshire because some members of the committee were wanting to get rid of him. But Byas insisted that remarks attributed to him had been taken out of context.

All this was before Byas sensationally came out of his end-of-season retirement to sign for Lancashire and set up the prospect of a mouthwatering clash between the powerful left-hander and England's leading strike bowler.

The Byas-Gough battle is given an added dimension because Yorkshire and Lancashire occupy the bottom two places in Division One of the Championship table and whichever side loses will take another big step towards dreaded relegation.

Byas, who made his debut as a BBC radio summariser on Tuesday and could not conceal his delight at Yorkshire's C&G quarter-final win over Essex, will be battling 100 per cent for Lancashire tomorrow.

"It is a very important match for both teams and neither side can afford to lose," he said.

"A win rather, than a draw, is needed to move away from the foot of the table and either side could find themselves stranded unless results improve."

Gough genuinely looked pleased to be part of Yorkshire's winning side against Essex and he is champing at the bit to get at Lancashire.

"If we play as well as we did on Tuesday we have a chance of beating Lancashire," he said.

"There are some big lads with big hearts in the Yorkshire side and it is still not too late to string some wins together and move away from the relegation zone."

Gough will be happy for a repeat performance of last year's Roses match at Headingley, when he blasted 96 after Darren Lehmann's epic 252 and also claimed four wickets in Lancashire's first innings.

Yorkshire have drawn arch rivals Surrey at Headingley in the semi-finals of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy on Wednesday, July 31.