It's Goughie versus Warney

This, indeed, could be a vintage year for the old competition with Warne attempting to lead Hampshire to their first title since 1973 and Gough now the man charged with bringing stability, harmony and, not least, a smile to the face of the ever traumatic and usually self defeating world of Yorkshire.

Scroll down to read more:

Both could be successful in their quest. Yorkshire would not be Yorkshire without some closeseason intrigue and this year's episode was the amazing saga of Chris Adams agreeing to become captain and director of cricket at Headingley but, after being unveiled to the media, changing his mind and staying with Sussex.

Enter the Dazzler, who left it until a month before the season to decide to follow my heart' and accept the poisoned chalice of the Yorkshire captaincy rather than see out his days at his adopted Essex home. His first success came immediately when he persuaded contract rebel Anthony McGrath to stay.

Yorkshire, with not one but two potential England leg-spin bowlers in Adil Rashid and Mark Lawson plus the controversial Kolpak recruit Jacques Rudolph, will win more games than they lose but will probably fall short, this year at least, of challenging for the title.

Not so Warne's Hampshire who, with the great man at the helm, look well equipped to bring the success that chairman Rod Bransgrove's investment demands. It remains to be seen, however, if Warne will get his wish of having Kevin Pietersen in his side more often.

Warne says he will be seriously unhappy' if England insist Pietersen and Co must rest after the World Cup but, in that case, stand by to see a miserable Australian. England have been on the go virtually non-stop for over a year and Duncan Fletcher will definitely want his players to have some time off before the first Test against the West Indies arrives all too soon on May 17 — if the coach is still in a job.

The most enticing aspect of this year's championship will be how big a part spin will play, particularly if a hot spring precedes a hotter summer. As well as Warne, the First Division will also boast the great Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan, vital to Lancastrian ambitions, and a host of other quality slow bowlers.

Not least among them will be Sussex pair Mushtaq Ahmed — so influential in last year's championship victory — and Saqlain Mushtaq, who returns to the English game as an EU player as long as his British passport arrives next month.

They will ensure that Sussex have every chance of bursting Warne's bubble and retaining their title, but the loss of Michael Yardy for six weeks with a broken finger suffered at the hands of Steve Harmison in the season opener against MCC at Lord's is a blow for the champions.

Surrey, with two leg-spinners of their own in Ian Salisbury and Chris Schofield, will surely be among the challengers. But this could well be the year Warne caps his career with a bit of English domestic success. p.newman@dailymail.co.uk