ONE day wonder Gary Yates has put himself in line for a starting place in Lancashire's Championship team.

The 29-year-old off-spinner was a key figure in their Lord's double last year but was bitterly disappointed that he didn't play a first class match until September.

He hates the tag 'one day specialist' and yesterday showed why with figures of 4-46 in the four-day friendly against Yorkshire at Headingley.

Now he hopes that will be enough to keep him in ahead of former Yorkshire left arm spinner Gary Keedy for next Wednesday's Championship opener against Durham at Old Trafford.

"It's nice to get first bite of the cherry," reflected Yates today.

"My position is like every other in the team, it's very competitive. So I'm very pleased to have got a good start.

"It's a slow wicket, it looked very green, and I didn't expect to get much bowling. But it went very well."

Yates was helped by a surprise switch back to bowling medium pace by captain Mike Watkinson.

The Lancashire skipper has concentrated almost entirely on his off spin over the last few years but with Yorkshire well on top at 108-1 just before lunch, he produced a spell of 11-3-21-2 which brought Lancashire right back into the match.

"That's what we needed as a team and it also helped me get on sooner," added Yates.

Watkinson claimed the important wickets of David Byas and Richard Kettleborough, then Peter Martin won an lbw shout against Martin Wood, who hit an impressive 81 on his first class debut, to leave Yorkshire 203-5.

Then Yates took over with four of the last five wickets, two of them caught behind by Jamie Haynes, as Yorkshire were dismissed for 281 despite a battling unbeaten 87 from Bradley Parker.

Lancashire today resumed their reply on 45-1 after losing Steve Titchard to a nasty rising ball from Gavin Hamilton in fading light last night.

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