YORKSHIRE were hoping to find out the extent of Liam Plunkett's calf injury yesterday after being scanned upon his return from the UAE.

Plunkett and fellow seamer Jack Brooks picked up calf injuries during Yorkshire's pre-season tour.

Plunkett, however, suffered his injury in training prior to representing the MCC in their champion county match against Middlesex last weekend.

Ryan Sidebottom also sustained a hamstring niggle and did not play at all for Yorkshire in the Gulf.

Brooks has already been ruled out for between four and six weeks with his second calf tear of pre-season.

Yorkshire's director of cricket Martyn Moxon believes Plunkett has the best chance of featuring in next week's County Championship opener against Hampshire, and he was being scanned yesterday.

Sidebottom's condition seemed to have improved before heading home yesterday morning, although Moxon was not too hopeful regarding his participation next week.

The White Rose know they will be without Brooks and almost certainly David Willey and Matthew Fisher for the Hampshire clash, and it would be a major blow to lose the other two.

Willey (shoulder) and Fisher (groin) are expected to play second XI cricket next week as they bid for match fitness.

"Liam's the guy who has the best chance of playing against Hampshire. The others I think will struggle," said Moxon.

"It's frustrating we've got a few injuries at the minute.

"The two new ones are Brooks and Sidebottom, which happened early on in the trip and is disappointing.

"When we do get injuries like this, the medical staff analyse what we could have done differently, what could we have done better. Being honest, I don't think there's anything we've done wrong in particular. I think it's just one of those things.

"The others are injuries we've not had much to do with.

"Fisher came back from India (with England under 19s) injured, but he played a full part in the game on Thursday against UAE, so touch wood he's well on his way to being match fit.

"David Willey, his progress is going really well. Hopefully he will take some part in a second XI game next week.

"Liam got hit on the back of the calf with a ball in practice before the MCC game. That was a little bit tight when he batted. He ran a two and felt it.

"Rather than take any risks, he didn't bowl in that match.

"Hopefully he will be playing next week."

Yorkshire begin the summer with a three-day friendly against the students of Leeds/Bradford MCC Universities at Headingley tomorrow.

Their bowling attack will comprise of Tim Bresnan, Steve Patterson, Azeem Rafiq and two from Josh Shaw, Ben Coad and James Wainman, with the latter trio fighting it out for at least one spot against Hampshire.

Gary Ballance will captain a side which should also include Eliot Callis.

York-born England under 19s batsman Ed Barnes has also been named in Andrew Gale's first squad as coach.

"Whoever needs to play against Hampshire, we're confident they will do a job for us," added Moxon.

"Leeds/Bradford is an important game with the season in mind, getting lads time in the middle and the bowlers continuing their good work leading into Hampshire, which will be very tough. They've made some good additions to their squad."

Yorkshire: Ballance c, Barnes, Bresnan, Callis, Coad, Hodd w, Leaning, Lees, Lyth, Patterson, Rafiq, Shaw, Wainman, Warner.