Martyn Moxon expects Yorkshire to have had the ideal preparation to the new season by the time they begin competitive action in the LV= County Championship against Somerset at Taunton on April 13.

The white rose squad returned to Headingley today having spent the last fortnight in Sri Lanka on their pre-season tour, where they played Twenty20 matches and a two-day fixture against local opposition.

Prior to their trip to the west country a fortnight on Sunday, they also play two three-day friendlies against Leeds/Bradford MCC Universities at Headingley and then Northamptonshire at Northampton.

The first of those fixtures against the students starts on Tuesday, with the second beginning on April 8.

“With us having gone abroad, we will hopefully have had the best of both worlds in terms of good preparation out in Sri Lanka and match practice at home,” said Yorkshire director of cricket Moxon.

“You are obviously hoping the weather’s going to be all right. As we’ve seen before, it could be snowing in April!

“When you start the season so early, it’s difficult not to have a pre-season tour because you can’t guarantee weather. Your ability to be outside is risky. You can’t just bank on being okay.

“Pre-season tours are good for getting rustiness out, getting back on grass. But then we are fortunate that we’ve got two quality games on home soil as well to prepare for Taunton.

“The two matches will be used with a view to the first county game. The sides will be selected with that in mind. They will be treated very properly, as though they are Championship games pretty much.

“Leeds/Bradford have done well recently. They had a good season last year and they are a very good team.

“It will be great and valuable practice for us. This time of year, it’s valuable playing the Universities.”

Yorkshire host their annual general meeting in the Headingley long room tomorrow, starting at 10.30am.

Dickie Bird’s nomination as the club’s new president will be officially ratified, while Sachin Tendulkar will be appointed as an honorary life member of the club. Tendulkar was Yorkshire’s first overseas player in 1992.