They go into the EGU Northern Group qualifier, a six-man team stroke-play event over 36 holes at the island's Castletown links on Saturday, and must come out on top against Lancashire, Cumbria, Durham, Northumberland, Cheshire and Isle of Man in order to defend the English championship at Hollinwell, Nottinghamshire on September 26-28.

While county captain Andy King has his strongest available side on duty, he would have preferred that Danny Willett, Gareth Evans and Marcus Armitage had not turned professional in mid-season and made the move at the end of the campaign, as is the norm. And in effect the pro game has claimed another top man as Sam Haywood caddies for Willett.

Happily, King can call on Steve Uzzell, who will gain a Great Britain cap in the St Andrew's Trophy match against Europe at Kingsbarns, St Andrew's on August 29-30 and has also been selected by England for the Home International series.

The Hornsea left-hander is joined in the side by Moortown's Nick McCarthy, who was third in the Northern Youths at Middlesbrough last week, along with James Smedley (Hallowes), Steve Brennan (Wheatley), Matt Evans (Rotherham) and Adam Best (Cleveland).

Aaran Hodkin (Wheatley) is the travelling reserve, while county coach Graham Walker also makes the trip.

How the mighty have fallen, however. Yorkshire's match-play performances in the Northern Counties League have been dire this season.

A third defeat in four outings suffered against Cumbria at Workington last Saturday plunged last year's champions to second-last.

If they slip up against Cheshire at Prenton on August 30 they will be in the unprecedented position of wooden spoonists.

Only an unlikely heavy defeat in their final match can deny Lancashire their first Northern Counties League title in 11 years after they beat Durham 13-5 at Childwall as Yorkshire lost out 9.5-8.5 to Cumbria at rain-hit Workington.

Atrocious weather on the Cumbrian coast saw the morning foursomes end honours even at 3-3 after Yorkshire hit back after losing the top three matches.

A similar pattern in the singles saw Cumbria take four of the first six to give Yorkshire a mountain to climb.

County champion Richard Law lost narrowly to old stager Jon Longcake, and it was a blow to Yorkshire when Uzzell crashed 5&4 to veteran former British Amateur champion Gary Wolstenholme.

Uzzell astonishingly had shot an 11 under par 61 in practice on his first look at the course.