White played through the World Cup with a side strain

Yorkshire are to put "feelers" out for an international player to replace Craig White while he recovers from injury.

England all-rounder White is expected to miss the first half of the season after undergoing surgery to remove a bone growth on one of his ribs.

"It's a bad blow in the team but at the moment our thoughts are with Craig, who has had to put up with this for a long time," director of cricket Geoff Cope told the Yorkshire Post.

"We said recently that we would not be going for a second overseas player when it became known that Darren Lehmann would not be returning this year but now we may have to think again.

"I will be having discussions with various people and with other members of the board in the next few days to see what can be done to plug the gap.

"We have known for some time that Craig might need an operation so one or two feelers have already been put out with a view to signing another overseas player."

Set-back

The set-back is the latest in a catalogue of injuries for White.

The 33-year-old played through the pain in his side to take part in England's World Cup campaign.

But he had an operation to remove a two-inch piece of his bottom rib on Wednesday morning, nine days before the beginning of the county season.

Yorkshire medical consultant Wayne Morton told BBC Sport he expected White to be unavailable to England for three months.

"It is a problem that has recurred two or three times over the winter," said Morton.

"It got to the stage where if we didn't do something about it and rehabilitate it properly he would be in a situation where he always had to compromise."

As White is not centrally-contracted by England, Yorkshire are responsible for his rehabilitation.

But England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) medical officer Dr Peter Gregory has liaised with the club over White's treatment.

England's summer commitments start with a two-Test series against Zimbabwe, beginning on 22 May.

The side then play three one-day internationals against Pakistan before a triangular one-day series against Zimbabwe and South Africa, which concludes on 12 July.

On current estimates, White would only be available to return in time for the five-Test series against South Africa which forms the second half of the season.