Yorkshire reserve wicketkeeper and second team captain Colin Chapman is expected to announce his retirement from first-class cricket shortly.

The 27-year-old Bradford-born player misses York-shire's opening Second XI championship match of the season against Somerset at York tomorrow, with the captaincy being handed to Gary Fellows.

Chapman, who lives at Cottingley, has previously had spells out of the game because of epilepsy, and it is believed medical reasons could be behind a decision to end his Yorkshire career.

He will continue to play Bradford League cricket, however, and has this season moved from Pudsey Congs, where he has been for 11 years, to Baildon.

A brave batsman and busy wicketkeeper, Chapman has given Yorkshire outstanding service since making his first team debut in 1990, and the fact that he has played in only eight first- class games is entirely due to being understudy to Richard Blakey.

Yorkshire have been fortunate to have such a competitive cricketer in the wings, and his loyalty was rewarded by his appointment as second team captain last year.

His highest score of 80 was made in the first-class friendly against Lancashire two years ago, and in all he scored 238 first-class runs for Yorkshire at an average of 21.63. He took 13 catches and got three stumpings.

Fellows captains the Seconds tomorrow because he is the most senior player available.

Yorkshire Seconds (v Somerset Seconds): G Clough, J Inglis, V Craven, J Wilkinson, G Fellows, S Widdup, S Guy, J Smith, T Baker, N Carter, R Towler.

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