Under leaden skies and with the temperature a couple of degrees above freezing, the versatile Darren Lehmann just had time at Headingley yesterday to announce that he is back with Yorkshire - and looking as full of runs as ever.

The Australian left-hander faced 54 balls before torrential rain abruptly ended the in-house practice match but by then he had already struck three fours and a six, played a few cheeky reverse sweeps and given the general impression that he had been batting on English pitches for months rather than minutes.

Yet Lehmann had only the previous night arrived in Leeds from Paris where he had spent a few days on a belated honeymoon with Craig White's sister Emma, who he married at Christmas.

"I am absolutely delighted to be back with Yorkshire and after a few minutes in the middle I felt as if I had never been away," said Lehmann.

"I want to go on scoring a lot of runs for them but it is even more important to me that I can help them win the trophies that they have so far narrowly missed out on.

The good news for Yorkshire that Lehmann is back has been tempered by a knee injury to Bradford-born Anthony McGrath who will miss the two opening Benson and Hedges Cup matches against Durham and Lancashire at the weekend. But he should be fit for Benson and Hedges match against Leicestershire at Headingley on Wednesday.

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