LANCASHIRE newcomer David Byas will be looking forward to facing his former employers - in great nick.

Byas struck 78, including three sixes and nine fours, as Lancashire notched a last gasp Norwich Union league win over Derbyshire Scorpions at Blackpool on Sunday.

It was the perfect proof of his form ahead of Friday's County Championship relegation clash against Yorkshire at Headingley.

Lancashire's Gary Yates, who shared a crucial 55-run stand in Sunday's game, was impressed by the display of Byas - affectionately nicknamed 'Bingo".

"Bingo was just superb," enthused Yates. "It was not the easiest of pitches to get runs on, but he paced it brilliantly."

It will no doubt be a strange sensation for Byas to walk out at a ground where he played for so many years. He led Yorkshire to the County Championship title last term before retiring, only to be coaxed back into the game by Lancashire.

The sides go into the game with points at a premium. Both face the threat of relegation with champions Yorkshire bottom of the table and without a win to their name all season, while Lancashire are just one place above though 17 points to the good.

But the Tykes were back in form at the weekend as England all-rounder Craig White produced his best display of the season to pilot Yorkshire to a first win in 10 matches on home soil against Somerset at Scarbrough in the Norwich Union league on Sunday.

Meanwhile both sides will be without their England stars when they clash in the Roses battle. Andy Flintoff will be missing for Lancashire and the White Rose outfit have been told by England to rest batsman Michael Vaughan and seamer Matthew Hoggard.

Darren Gough's availability will be settled later this week, but he is unlikely to appear.

England, who have just played seven games in the NatWest Series, face India in the first of four Tests at Lords' next week and want to protect their squad.

Because of the central contracts scheme, national coach Duncan Fletcher has the power to pull his stars out of county cricket whenever he feels fit.

Flintoff's workload makes him England's most vulnerable player and Fletcher is determined to protect him.

Captain Nasser Hussain paid tribute to the Preston powerhouse after the NatWest tournament saying: "His performance throughout the series was one of the highlights for us."

It's even possible that Flintoff will not play for Lancashire again this season because, shortly after the end of the Test series with India, England fly out to Sri Lanka for a big one-day competition.