MATTHEW FISHER has taken advice from a Division One rival as he gets ready to become Yorkshire’s youngest County Championship debutant in 15 years at Trent Bridge this weekend.

The 17-year-old seamer from Sheriff Hutton Bridge is in line to fill the boots of the injured Ryan Sidebottom against Nottinghamshire on Sunday after impressing the White Rose hierarchy last summer and through the winter.

Instead of touring Australia with England Under-19s, a joint decision between Yorkshire and the ECB, Fisher travelled to Abu Dhabi with the county last month, where he spoke to Sussex’s Steve Magoffin about fast bowling.

The veteran Australian was last summer’s leading wicket-taker in division one, confirming the view that he is one of the best bowlers in county cricket.

“There’s a big future for Matthew,” said Yorkshire second XI and Academy director Ian Dews. “He’s a very bright cricketer.

“He played in a squad friendly with some of the Sussex players in Abu Dhabi and, off his own back, he went and spoke to Steve Magoffin.

“Andrew Gale was saying ‘what a fine bowler he is’, and Matthew has gone and picked him out and had a word.”

Ahead of the Nottinghamshire clash, Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie admitted: “Fish was in the squad at Worcester, and the likelihood is that he’s the next cab off the rank.

“I’ve spoken with Fish and said that I think there will be opportunities for him this year.

“We knew, even before his injury, that Siddy was unlikely to play every fixture, and Fish is very much in our thoughts. He’s got a chance to put a case forward.”

When asked to assess Fisher’s recent development as a bowler, former Australia quick Gillespie said: “Very simply, he’s worked incredibly hard at his game.

“He’s working hard at getting the right lines and the right lengths to bowl. He’s getting himself nice and strong. We think he’s put on a yard of pace. We are very excited about Matt Fisher.”

Fisher has already played five one-day matches for the county, and his first against Leicestershire at Scarborough two summers ago left him as the youngest post Second World War county cricketer aged 15 years and 212 days.

If he does take the field against Notts, Fisher will do so aged 17 years and 161 days.

Yorkshire’s youngest ever Championship debut remains Paul Jarvis at 16 years and 75 days in 1981, but Gary Ramsden was the last 17-year-old to debut in this competition in 2000 aged 17 years and 76 days.

Yorkshire’s other younger Championship debutants than Fisher are Doug Padgett (16 years and 321 days in 1951), Paul Booth (17 years and three days in 1982) and Kevin Sharp (17 years and 155 days in 1976).

Meanwhile, Yorkshire fear Sidebottom could be in for a lengthy lay-off after suffering a left calf tear at Worcester earlier this week.

The left-arm swing bowler suffered the injury while batting, and director of cricket Martyn Moxon said: “Siddy is likely to be missing for several weeks.

“He is set to have a scan in the next day or so, and once we have the results back we will have a better indication of how long he’ll be missing. It is a great shame for him.”