Thursday 31 March 2016 13:18, UK
Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale insists his side will not be burdened by history as they chase a third successive County Championship title..
No side has won three championships in a row since Yorkshire themselves achieved the feat under Brian Close from 1966-68.
Gale said: "I don't think we feel the weight of that because when you turn up and play for Yorkshire there is a weight of expectation anyway. You are expected to win trophies. That is part and parcel of being a Yorkshire cricketer.
"This year we will go in and give it our best shot. The lads don't need any motivation - win three championships in a row and go down with the legends of Yorkshire cricket.
"We don't feel the pressure of that. The lads are embracing it."
Yorkshire, who lost to the MCC last week in the traditional season curtain-raiser in Abu Dhabi, play two more friendlies against Derbyshire and Leeds Bradford MCCU before beginning their campaign against Hampshire on April 17.
Gale added: "We have obviously had quite a few players away and missing but the preparation has been good. We had a fantastic pre-season out in Abu Dhabi, the lads are all in good form and we are looking forward to the season.
"We have still got three good, solid weeks' preparation going into it now, but given we play some good cricket I'm sure we can challenge for that spot again."
Gale expects the challenge to be tougher than ever this season with promoted sides Lancashire and Surrey boosting the quality of Division One.
The 32-year-old said: "We are obviously positive and confidence is high without taking anything for granted.
"We believe it is going to be the hardest year we have had. The division looks as strong as it has been and everyone is probably going to raise their game against us. We need to be on top of that."
The 2016 domestic season will be the last in the current format before the ECB starts to make changes from next year. The top division is to be reduced from nine to eight teams and the season is to be divided into more clearly defined blocks for the three formats of the game.
Gale, speaking at the domestic season launch at Old Trafford, said: "I enjoy the 16-game (Championship) format but I am not against 14 games.
"I think it will probably make for better cricket because teams will have their better players out playing longer with more rest around that, and Twenty20 is better in a block from a playing point of view."
A change to the rules this season means the coin toss will no longer be a formality in the Championship. The away captain will be offered the chance to bowl and if he accepts, there will be no toss, but if he declines, the toss will take place as normal.
The change is part of a one-year trial with the ECB hoping it will improve pitches and chances for spin bowlers, although Gale is unsure about its merits.
"I'm not sure how it will work out. I'm not a massive fan of it myself," he said.
"I don't think it will play that much of a role in our fixtures at Headingley, I'm sure a lot of people will come and bowl first given the conditions that we've got there. But we just need to be playing good, consistent cricket no matter if we bowl or bat first."
