Joe Root back in Yorkshire squad after self-isolation as they prepare for crunch Roses clash with Lancashire

The England Test skipper was forced to miss the ODI series against Pakistan after unnamed teammates and coaches tested positive for coronavirus recently.

But after completing his isolation period, Root will return to the Yorkshire squad as they take on their biggest rivals at Old Trafford.

Yorkshire have already qualified for the quarter-finals, but a win against Lancashire will seal a top-two finish. A home quarter-final at Headingley will not be possible, owing to a clash with the Test match against India next month, and Yorkshire are exploring where it could be played if it is sealed.

Lockie Ferguson, who took a hat-trick when the sides last met at Headingley in a tense Yorkshire win, is unavailable with a side injury and Yorkshire’s Adam Lyth said: “I don’t know what it is about this fixture, it’s always a cracking game whether it’s at Headingley or at Old Trafford.

“A couple of weeks ago at Headingley, with them needing 20 off the last over, you wouldn’t expect it to go down to the last ball. But it did.

“These are the games you want to be a part of and the ones you want to win. We were on the right end of the result a few weeks back, and we’d love to do the same again at Old Trafford.

“The lads are looking forward to it, and playing in front of a good crowd over there always excites us. It’s a tough place to go, but we’re confident.”