THEY say a week’s a long time in politics – it certainly is in cricket, as several NYSD teams will testify.

Seven days ago the longtrumpeted debut of Pakistan international leg-spinner Yasir Shah was being eagerly anticipated at Middlesbrough.

But just a few hours before he was due to board a flight to the UK he was called into his country’s 30-man training camp, being held ahead of Pakistan’s tour here later in the summer.

This added yet another chapter to a long-running story, with the talented youngster set to arrive at varying points of the 2009 season, only for similar obstacles to arise.

Boro, ten points ahead of Guisborough at the top of the early-season table, continue their championship quest without Shah whose latest estimated time of arrival is now the end of May.

They entertain Richmondshire today, the Dalesmen missing Chris Layfield and Adam Hillary, so Richard Carruthers and Sam Wood deputise.

Great Ayton also faced disappointment last weekend when Steve Chapman decided at the last minute to rejoin his hometown team Crook, but the Aytonians overcame that to claim a useful 30 points from their double-header.

They now look forward to the arrival of their South African professional, but even that’s not straightforward.

The club are planning an audacious logistical exercise to get Andrew Birch to Leven Park in time to play against Northallerton today.

Birch flies from Bangladesh, where he was with the national academy, this morning and is due to land at Heathrow at 10.30am, where the club have booked him a linking flight to Newcastle.

He will then be whisked down to make his debut.

Northallerton would like to have a similar option for Teddy Parida but they still have no news of his likely arrival date.

Richard Bentley and Santhosh Reddy miss this game, but Ian Gill, who enjoyed his extended volcanic ash-related stay in Florida, makes his belated return to action.

Hartlepool are not cutting things so fine with their overseas player – he arrived earlier in the week and will debut at Park Drive this afternoon against Marske.

Saman Jayantha, 36, is a Sri Lankan all-rounder who has played 17 ODIs for his country and has scored over 8,000 runs at first-class level. Pools also have Chris Fawcett and Alan Tebbett returning.

Normanby Hall look to have found a useful performer in Pakistani Jannisar Khan – the 28-year-old received star billing in a recent T20 tournament and has a highest score of 159 at first-class level.

But there is doubt whether he will make it in time for the Hall’s home game against title-chasing Guisborough today.

The Priorymen go into the match without Chris Murray – the all-rounder is based in London and has been helping out his home club while they sort their own overseas conundrum out.

That saga appears to be drawing to a close, with Lassana Dias pencilled in for next week, but today Stu Mackay returns after missing the bank holiday game through work.

Billingham expect to field Mark Davies against Stokesley, who have Clive Dowson sidelined by a shoulder injury.

Ian Macdonald returns for Thornaby’s trip to Bishop Auckland, who have a fit again Craig George in their line-up, and Lee Hodgson is back from Yorkshire as Marton entertain a Darlington team missing Lee Hutton with a broken knuckle.