Yorkshire have declined to confirm or deny a report that Darren Gough will be appointed first team captain next week.

Northern Echo SPORT reported this month that Yorkshire intended to speak to the former England star to find out why he had not signed the new contract which was on offer at Essex, the county he joined in 2004.

Those discussions are believed to have taken place on Gough's recent return from Australia but Yorkshire chief executive, Stewart Regan, refused to be drawn on the whether the 36-year-old would be returning to Headingley.

"We are still exploring a number of options and a lot of negotiations are going on which are all tied together," said Regan.

"People are speculating because Gough has not yet signed for Essex and I don't want to comment on any of the talks which are going on."

Yorkshire still hope to announce the appointment of their new director of professional cricket next week and Regan has already said that whoever gets the job will be asked if he is happy with the preferred choice of captain.

If Gough is lined up for the captaincy he might wish to see if he is happy with the new director of cricket before committing himself.

The Anthony McGrath saga continues to rumble on with a different slant each day.

Yorkshire have reached stalemate in their talks with McGrath and a spokesman for the Professional Cricketers' Association has said he believed the dispute would be heard early next week by the England and Wales Cricket Board's disciplinary panel.

But Regan said yesterday that before going to arbitration there could be a hearing in front of ECB mediators with a third party brought in to act as chairman.

"This procedure could take up to 28 days and I understand Anthony's agent is trying to get things moving," said Regan.

"But we are still speaking to McGrath and trying to persuade him to put his grievances behind him. The issue is not dead in the water and we are still hopeful."

Up to a month of mediation talks would seem to suit Yorkshire more than McGrath, who must feel that time is beginning to run out if he wants to get fixed up with a new county before the start of the season in mid-April.

* Worcestershire's prolific batsman Graeme Hick received a £106,582 windfall from his testimonial year during 2006.

Hick, who will celebrate his 41st birthday in May, also collected £345,406 from his benefit year at New Road in 1999.

The former England player is currently preparing for his 24th season as a first-team player with the Pears after signing a new 12-month deal.

Zimbabwe-born Hick became only the second player since the Second World War to score 100 first-class centuries for the same county last summer.

Meanwhile, Worcester planners will discuss the club's extensive proposals for a £10m redevelopment of the ground next month.