Yorkshire sign David Lucas

David Lucas has joined Yorkshire © Getty Images

Yorkshire have signed David Lucas, a left-arm medium-fast bowler, for 2005 on a short-term contract. He will help fill the gap left by Steve Kirby's departure to Gloucestershire.

Although Lucas, 26, has been with Nottinghamshire for the last six years, he had not played a Championship match since 2001. He stayed last summer after being told at the end of 2003 that he could leave if he could find another county. He has 52 first-class wickets at 36.71 with a best of 5 for 104 against Essex in September 1999.

"Notts had a lot of bowlers and I had injuries at the wrong time, which didn't help," Lucas told The Yorkshire Post. "There were three left armers - me, Ryan Sidebottom and Greg Smith - and everyone knows you are not going to play three left-armers."

Lucas has only been given a four-month contract. "It is the first time we have done that sort of thing," said David Byas, Yorkshire's director of cricket. "We both need to see each other and on the back of that we want to forge a relationship productive to both him and to the county. I think he is an exciting prospect."