Yorkshire's players and coaching staff were steeling themselves for a relegation battle in the LV= County Championship this time last year - or at least that is what the majority outside of their dressing room were thinking.

A year on, and the predictions are that Andrew Gale's men will be up there as one of the genuine title contenders this time around.

Gale has returned to Headingley after a two-month tour of the Caribbean with the England Lions squad, a trip on which three more of his county colleagues were present.

Despite what you might think after a winter of near wall-to-wall cricket, there is no fatigue for the 27-year-old, who was afforded just three days off earlier this week.

Gale is about to embark on his second campaign as the club's captain.

The first brought a third place finish in the Championship, a semi-final finish in the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition and an early exit from the newly-named Friends Life t20.

"It's going to be a different challenge for us this year, and I'm sure we'll be viewed differently from outside the club," said the left-handed batsman ahead of Friday's four-day opener against newly promoted Worcestershire at New Road.

"But, although we had a really good season last year, it counts for nothing now. We didn't win anything, although we achieved a few things in our own minds.

"We've got a clean slate now, and we're going to have to earn the right to win games. We can't expect to just turn up and win games off the back of what we did last year."

Gale has lost his vice- captain, the South African batsman Jacques Rudolph, who will be hard to replace in a number of different ways.

The fact that he has no right-hand man pales into insignificance when looking at the fact that he has to find a way of replacing a player who was a banker for 1,000 Championship runs or more each season.

The likes of Gary Ballance, Joe Root and Joe Sayers are the men vying to partner Adam Lyth in the top order.

Rudolph's departure has been offset by the acquisition of former England and Nottinghamshire bowler Ryan Sidebottom, who returns to the club he left in 2004 following a title win with the Trent Bridge club last summer.

"I definitely think we've got the best domestic signing around in Ryan," continued Gale. "He's been excellent around the club since he came.

"The feedback I've had from the players and the coaches has been outstanding. He's been an inspiration to the young lads, talking about the way he bowls, game-plans and mindsets. That can only help the young lads who perhaps lacked a bit of inexperience with the ball."

Yorkshire would be red hot favourites for the Championship had they been able to retain the services of Rudolph, but the opening berth is one of very few question marks ahead of the first match.

Their only other problem would seem to be at No.3 because Anthony McGrath was described as "80:20" against playing at Worcester due to a nerve problem delaying his recovery from knee surgery.

That heightens the chances of Sayers opening the batting and either Ballance or Root replacing McGrath.

Gale gave a hefty hint that Gerard Brophy will start the campaign behind the stumps and Jonny Bairstow as a specialist batsman when he spoke at the club's media day yesterday.

"Broph has just come from scoring 130 in a friendly against Leeds/Bradford University earlier in the week," he said.

"Watching him in the nets, he looks in better touch than I've ever seen him. He's definitely in the reckoning, but Jonny's had a good winter with the gloves. He's the future of the club."

It will be a big boost when England duo Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad are available for selection, but Yorkshire are by no means dependent on their availability.

This could be a season to remember for the White Rose.