Adil Rashid is convinced Yorkshire are primed to up the ante in their quest for County Championship glory this season.

And the Bradford leg-spinning starlet says the White Rose have already laid down a marker by winning the recent pre-season Pro Arch Series competition in the United Arab Emirates, which included five other county sides.

The Tykes were back in training at Headingley yesterday, following their return from Abu Dhabi over the weekend.

They face Roses rivals Lancashire in a one-day and two-day friendly at Old Trafford starting on Monday.

Rashid, 20, will then go down to Lord's for the MCC's four-day fixture against county champions Sussex on April 10.

He said: "The main aim for Yorkshire is to win the County Championship, although we want to win every trophy and competition that we play in.

"Our aim last summer was to win the championship and we got close, but we want to go a step further this time."

Yorkshire's Arabian experience was capped off by an impressive run chase of 191 inside 25 overs against the UAE national side at Abu Dhabi last Friday.

Darren Gough's men had to reach their target in double- quick time in order to pip Lancashire and Somerset to the crown on net run-rate after all three sides had three wins apiece.

"It was a positive start for our season," continued Rashid, who claimed three wickets and hit 66 runs in two matches. "We all wanted to win the competition, because winning is a habit.

"All the other sides had good players, so not only was it a way of developing your own cricket, but it was also a good way of getting to know the other teams ahead of the new season.

"The wickets were slow and low, and they had some help for the spinners. They were more like India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka."

Rashid's best bowling performance came in the second game against Somerset at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, where he returned figures of two for 23 from ten overs.

And he revealed that he has already spoken to skipper Gough about his chances of more one-day cricket this summer. After all, he only played three limited-over fixtures last summer.

"I reckon that I will be given more chances in the one-day arena this season, at least I am hoping so," said the 2007 Professional Cricketer's Association Young Player of the Year.

"Goughy has already had a word with me, saying the only reason he didn't play me last season was because he wanted to rest me. But this season I reckon that he is ready to play me in a few more."

Rashid is expected to be involved against Lancashire early next week, but will not be involved in the two days against Durham next Thursday and Friday because of his MCC commitment.

He added: âIt will be good preparation to play against the champions, Sussex, so I am looking forward to it. I think it is a bit more than a friendly because it is a first-class fixture that goes towards your averages.

Yorkshire are expecting Jacques Rudolph to be available for most, if not all, of their pre-season friendlies.