Nick Compton is relishing the chance to lead a talent-packed Marylebone Cricket Club team in the Champion County match against Yorkshire in Abu Dhabi.
Compton captains a squad that includes England skipper Alastair Cook and India’s inspirational all-rounder Yuvraj Singh for the county season’s four-day curtain raiser, which gets under way on Sunday.
Highly-rated youngsters Sam Billings, Adam Riley, Matt Dunn and Zafar Ansari were also called-up by MCC, giving Compton's side the right sort of balance.
Speaking exclusively to ecb.co.uk, Compton said:“First and foremost it’s something I’m very proud of.
“I’m playing with some very, very good players, so I feel quite privileged to be able to lead these guys in what hopefully will be a very competitive match.
“There’s quite a few senior players who have had quite a bit of international experience and then you’ve got a few of the young guys who are quite possibly pushing for international recognition so it’s a really nice balance.
“To have the England captain, it’s a treat in a way to have his experience and have his knowledge. It adds a bit more impetus to the game.”
Compton, though, admitted the result hinges on how he will reflect on the experience, adding: “If we win the game and win it well, and we all play well, then it will rank really highly on my achievements.”
The 31-year-old will bat alongside Cook at the top of the order, having done so in the MCC match against Sussex at Lord’s eight years ago and for all of his nine Test matches.
It is a partnership Compton is looking forward to rekindling as he said: “I opened the batting with Alastair Cook last time so hopefully I’ll do that again.
"We had a good partnership statistically when we played and I’d like to get out with him there and do that again.”
Compton will have fresh memories of success versus Yorkshire after making 156 against them for Somerset in the final game of last season's LV= County County Championship.
This year is a blank slate, though, and after switching counties over the winter, moving back to Middlesex on a three-year deal, Compton hopes he can get some runs under his belt and is grateful he has the chance to do that in the UAE rather than the traditional early-season, seam-friendly wickets in England.
“(Every player wants to) get a few wickets or get a few runs, and when you go back you’ve just got a bit of added impetus that sets you up,” he said.
“Nothing beats time in the middle at this time of the year and it’s better to do that out here than early April (in England) when the ball’s nipping around.”
MCC's opening pair of Alastair Cook & @thecompdog getting ready for a hit #MCCUAEpic.twitter.com/PTMTthYgsk
— Lord's Ground (@HomeOfCricket) March 18, 2015