Morkel left the field on the third day of the County Championship game against Nottinghamshire complaining of a tight hamstring.

The 23-year-old did not bowl or field on the final day but did bat with a runner as Yorkshire fought to save the game. Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire's director of professional cricket, said: "We will see how Morne is just prior to the Durham match.

"We're hoping that the problem is simply cramp-related, and Morne said he felt a lot better on Saturday. We're hopeful it's not a serious problem, but if there's any doubt about his fitness, we won't risk him.

"It's frustrating for the lad and I thought he did well on his debut. It wasn't a quick pitch and I think he will be a real handful when the pitches around the country get harder and faster. I was excited before Morne came to Yorkshire and, after seeing him bowl for the first time, I'm even more excited now. I think he can be a major asset."

Moxon stressed the importance of today's game to both teams' hopes of progressing to the Friends Provident Trophy quarter-finals.

Durham gained a narrow five-run victory when the sides met at Chester-le-Street last month, Yorkshire's top-order letting them down before they were propelled to the brink of victory by an explosive partnership between Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad.

"I think this is going to be a massive game for both clubs," said Moxon. "Durham are the cup holders, a strong all-round team, and we're going to have to play really well to beat them.

"We didn't get off to a good enough start with the bat up there, which cost us dear, but it was a fantastic effort by the lower-order.

"Tim and Ajmal did particularly well to get us so close, but if we'd won the game it would have been a case of pulling the match out of the fire as opposed to us really deserving to win it.

"We need a much better batting display this time around and to get more consistency into our one-day performances."
Yorkshire got their Trophy campaign up-and-running eight days ago with a 25-run victory over Derbyshire at Headingley Carnegie. Adil Rashid scored an unbeaten 41 from 36 balls as Yorkshire won a rain-affected contest reduced to 24 overs per side.

England captain Michael Vaughan today makes his last appearance for Yorkshire prior to the first Test against New Zealand on Thursday week.

Durham have Steve Harmison and Paul Collingwood available but will be without pace bowler Liam Plunkett, who has a side strain. Plunkett is expected to be out for up to six weeks.

Yorkshire (from): Gale, Brophy, Vaughan, McGrath, Rudolph, Rashid, Lyth, Bresnan, Pyrah, Wainwright, Gough, Kruis, Shahzad, Morkel.
Durham (from): Mustard, Di Venuto, Coetzer, Collingwood, McKenzie, Benkenstein, B Harmison, Wiseman, Breese, Davies, Killeen, S Harmison, Onions.