I'M NOT a fan of the recent decision to do away with the mandatory coin toss before the start of Championship matches next season.

The toss is part of the excitement for me. In rugby and football, it doesn't really matter – it's a token thing. In cricket, it's a big factor.

There's an anticipation of not knowing what you're going to be doing.

But now, speaking to you in early December, Adam Lyth and I know that it is highly likely we will open the batting in every home match at Headingley. Maybe Scarborough will be an exception, depending on the wicket.

It's a challenge getting put in on a green seamer but part of it is also the unknown, finding out half an hour before. That's been taken away now.

There's nobody amongst our squad who has reported back to pre-season training at Headingley who is in favour of it – and that totals around 20 lads.

The biggest thing for the club is that nobody was consulted by the ECB.

I don't think it will force us to change the wickets that we play on. We've got strength in depth in our bowling and batting, so it shouldn't actually affect us that much.

It's just a shame that variable has been taken out of the game.

They are obviously trying to get more games lasting four days to bring the spinners into them more and more.

When you look at the schedule for next year, there is more Championship cricket in August than there has been in recent seasons.

For me, that is the best way to help produce more match-winning spinners – let them bowl in helpful conditions for a longer period of the season.

Now we've got to just forget about it, get on with it and concentrate on our skills.

* A LOT of people say the first fixture they look for is the Roses matches when the schedule gets released. Well, I have to admit that wasn't the case for me last Wednesday.

It's good to have Lancashire back in the top division because of the great rivalry there is between the two counties. And I think there's more bragging rights on offer for a four-day win than there is for a T20 or one-day win, say.

But I have only really taken notice of Hampshire at home being our first Championship match. I'm aware of how the fixture list is structured but I couldn't tell you exactly who we play when and where.

I've never been one for looking too far ahead and, as a team, we pride ourselves on that approach. It's served us well recently, so why change.

In the first division, every team is capable of winning matches consistently and they will be gunning for us. But I do expect Warwickshire to be the team to look out for next year, with the prospect of Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott available for large parts of the summer.

* ENGLAND'S one-day and Twenty20 performances against Pakistan were hugely impressive as they finished the tour of the UAE brilliantly last week.

It's an exciting time for that squad of players leading up to the T20 World Cup in March.

Liam Plunkett bowled brilliantly in the Twenty20 matches, taking three wickets in each of the first two, and hopefully he's going to be involved with England regularly over the next year.

As a team, they've got a good blend of experience and youth and it's exciting to watch. Hopefully they can continue that against South Africa in the New Year.

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