By Kevin Howells BBC Sport

Yorkshire's Australian coach Wayne Clark found himself, perhaps for the first time, at the receiving end of press criticism this week.

Clark made a speech to the pre-season lunch in which he told the audience that it was his job to produce players good enough to play for England, and that trophies were of secondary importance.

At the centre of the press comment was advice given to the coach that he should do the job for which he is being paid, and let England look after themselves.

I too heard the Clark speech but thought he simply meant that producing top-class players would first benefit Yorkshire first, and then by natural progression England.

But, perhaps understandably, some Yorkshire members see Clark's comments as the reason behind the departure of David Byas.

Last year's Championship-winning captain made it clear when he signed for Lancashire that he had been pushed into premature retirement.

Dignified

The coach told us on BBC Radio Five Live's 'Yorkshire Uncovered' that he was very keen to promote young batsman Chris Taylor and Michael Lumb.

Whilst both are undoubted talents, their lack of experience should have put them well behind Byas in the pecking order this season.

If you argue that Taylor and Lumb could be of more benefit to England than an ageing Byas then that might explain why the former skipper was left feeling unwanted.

Only comments from some club officials such as, "You could never imagine a time when a former Lancashire captain would come and play for Yorkshire", have been heard to disturb an otherwise uncertain quite over the subject.

The bank holiday B&H Cup encounter at Headingley will be the first time that Byas has returned to his old stomping ground.

And I'm sure the response he receives from the crowd will be nothing less than appreciative.

But there have been some rumblings of disquiet amongst some in the dressing room over the no-nonsense approach adopted by Byas.

And the competitive nature of bowler against batsman in the Roses matches this summer will have extra spice.

Different versions

The most public of spats took place between Byas and England bowling ace Darren Gough.

An interview published last year gave Byas's opinion that Yorkshire would have been better off without Gough.