Yorkshire CCC considers extending fast bowler's loan deal

McKerr, the 26-year-old pace bowler, was signed from Surrey on a five-match contract for the Vitality Blast.

At the time, Yorkshire were without five key bowlers, only one of whom - Ben Coad - is in contention to play against Gloucestershire.

Coad was due for a run-out in the second team in their three-day game against Durham this week as he continues his recovery from a back injury.

But Matt Milnes and Mickey Edwards are out for the season with stress fractures of the back and foot respectively, while Matty Fisher (ankle) and Dom Leech (side) are not yet ready.

McKerr, who represented South Africa at U19 level, was not chosen for the first match of his loan spell against Derbyshire at Headingley, with Ben Cliff preferred.

However, he played in the next two fixtures, at Birmingham Bears last Friday and against Leicestershire at Headingley on Sunday, ahead of his final two scheduled matches at home to Lancashire on Thursday and at Durham on Friday.

Ottis Gibson, the Yorkshire head coach, said: “We’ve got to hope, first of all, that we don’t lose any more bodies before the Gloucestershire game. We’ve had a number of injuries that we’re having to deal with.

“There’s a possibility of perhaps extending the loan for Conor McKerr into red-ball cricket, and we’ll make that decision. He’s a big strong guy who’s got some pace.”

McKerr has had limited opportunity in his first two matches.

He bowled a solitary over in the four-wicket defeat in Birmingham, where the pitch proved to be more conducive to spin, conceding 14 runs in a set that included two fours and a no-ball.

The right-armer had a better time of it against Leicestershire, returning 1-19 from two overs, when he followed the wicket of Harry Swindells with the run-out of Rehan Ahmed courtesy of a fine piece of work on the point boundary.

“He’s a good bowler and there’s a lot there to work with,” added Gibson.

“He’s at Surrey, where there’s a lot of competition, and when he goes away he might play one game here and two games there.

“So, he’s not really had a settled home, if you like, where he can play some cricket instead of going into a new environment with new people all the time. But he’s settled in nicely for us, that’s for sure.”

There will definitely be one new face for the Yorkshire home crowd to watch at Scarborough.

Vishwa Fernando will play the second of a three-match Championship deal having been recruited as a short-term overseas signing.

Fernando, 32, returned match figures of 5-74 on debut against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road last month, capturing his 300th first-class wicket in the process.

The left-armer made a good impression and he will then play in the fixture against Derbyshire at Chesterfield that begins on Sunday week.

“Fernando is available for Scarborough, so that will be a boost,” said Gibson.

“Otherwise, we’ve still got one or two issues in terms of injuries.

“Matt Fisher is still struggling with the ankle that he twisted while fielding against Glamorgan, so I don’t believe he’ll be ready for Scarborough.

“Ben Coad should be fit, and hopefully we can keep the other seamers fit and the spinners, too.

“Ben Cliff is ok, but he’s also nursing a bit of a sore ankle that we have to manage.

“‘Leechy’ is not going to be fit. He’s still nursing a side injury and hasn’t started bowling yet.

"That’s pretty much the situation as it currently stands.”

Yorkshire will have Joe Root available for this week’s T20 double-header before he then turns his attention to the Test series against the West Indies that starts on July 10.

Yorkshire will be looking to hit back strongly from a 20-run defeat against Leicestershire after the visitors defended what had seemed to be a below-par total of 166.

“I can’t say anything really negative about the game,” reflected Gibson.

“I thought as a bowling unit we bowled well and, in the end, we weren’t quite good enough to get the score.

“If you said you had to chase 160-odd to win at Headingley, you’d think you’d win more times than not, but I guess you’ve got to give Leicestershire a lot of credit.

“When we came off at half-time, we thought they were a little bit under par for what we know about Headingley, even on a used pitch, but they bowled well and used the conditions, and the best way to put it is that we were outfoxed by the Foxes.”​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​