JACK Brooks will miss the start of the new county season after picking up a calf injury on Yorkshire's pre-season tour of Dubai.

Brooks is set to be sidelined for between four and six weeks, a period including Yorkshire's first three Specsavers County Championship matches and five Royal London Cup one-day fixtures.

The worries do not stop there for coach Andrew Gale and captain Gary Ballance. Like Brooks, Ryan Sidebottom has also missed all cricket on their trip to the United Arab Emirates due to a tight hamstring, although it is not thought to be as serious.

Liam Plunkett will also return to the team base in Dubai for assessment, having pulled out of the MCC's ongoing champion county clash with Middlesex in Abu Dhabi due to a tight calf.

Gale said: "It's frustrating, in particular with Brooksy. We specifically put a plan in place for him. He had a calf injury in January, the other one, and he came back from that.

"We sent the bowlers out early and two of them get injured. What can you do?"

There was better news on the field for Gale as his much-changed bowling attack restricted Lancashire to 240-7 on the second and final day of their friendly.

Replying to Yorkshire's 235-7 on day one, Lancashire topped that score but the White Rose county were impressive and disciplined on a slow pitch, with Ben Coad and Azeem Rafiq striking twice apiece.

Matthew Fisher also bowled six overs on his return to county colours after a frustrating 12 months through injury, although he is not expected to be ready for first-team cricket immediately.

Gale said: "From a bowling point of view, I thought we were outstanding. I thought we controlled the run-rate all day and put the ball in good areas. If it was a Championship game, we'd be right in it.

"They put the ball in good areas for long periods of time. If you're going to successful in the first division, that's what you've got to do."