They are upset that the Pakistani pace bowler has signed for another season in the unauthorised Indian Cricket League contrary to their wishes.

Kent were banned from playing in the India-based £4m Champions League Twenty20 competition after qualifying through the English tournament because they had fielded players from the 'rebel' tournament.

It left Twenty20 champions Middlesex to go into it as the lone English participants against two sides from the domestic tournaments from India, South Africa and Australia, plus Pakistan outfit Sialkot.

Yorkshire have written a letter to Rana and his representatives expressing their displeasure at the latest events and have made it clear that any reoccurrence of the shoulder injury he sustained while playing for Sussex will prejudice his two-year contract at Headingley. They had recommended that a period of rest would aid Rana's rehabilitation.

County chief executive Stuart Regan said yesterday: "We are in discussions with the player and his agent following his decision to play in the second ICL season. It's a little bit of a catch-22 situation in that we have a player under contract for 2009, but also find out that if we do play him in the four competitions in domestic cricket next season we could find ourselves being excluded from the Champions League should we be successful in getting through.

"We are trying to find a route through with the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) and the player's agent to come to a compromise whereby all parties would be happy.

"What the solution loooks like I don't know because we are still involved in negotiations at the moment, but we are hopeful that we can come to some agreement over the next week or so.

"We do have other irons in the fire if it all falls through. We are looking at a number of alternatives to make sure our bowling is in the best possible shape for the start of the season."