Liam Plunkett will use the season-opening Champion County match in Abu Dhabi as an opportunity to impress England Test skipper Alastair Cook ahead of the tour to the West Indies.
Team-mates at international level, Plunkett and Cook will go head-to-head when champions Yorkshire take on a strong Marylebone Cricket Club outfit at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium from tomorrow.
Plunkett was an integral part of Cook's bowling department last summer, taking 14 wickets in four Tests on his return to the international scene following seven years in the wilderness, until he sustained a season-ending ankle injury in August.
But having continued his return to fitness and form with the England Performance Programme and Lions during a successful winter, Plunkett will aim to remind Cook of his qualities in the United Arab Emirates before they reunite for three Tests in the Caribbean next month.
The 29-year-old, one of six Yorkshire players named in a 16-man England touring party on Wednesday, told ecb.co.uk: “You want to get the England captain out, you want to set your mark.
“You want to bowl quick at him, let him know you are there and make him think about you for the future. It will be nice to let him know you are in good form, bowling quick.
“He is a good player, you don’t get that average playing that long for England. He had a bit of indifferent form but I’m sure the runs will come this year.”
Will Plunkett have a word in Cook's ear out in the middle?
“No, I’ve never really been a massive sledger. I try to be aggressive with the ball and let that do the talking," he said.
The annual day/night fixture, played with a pink ball under lights, continues Yorkshire’s preparations for their LV= County Championship title defence, which starts with a trip to New Road to face newly-promoted Worcestershire from April 12.
With MCC boasting the likes of Cook, Michael Carberry and Nick Compton in their side, former Durham paceman Plunkett believes a tough four days of cricket will stand his side in good stead.
He said: "MCC have a strong side and so do we. It should be a quality four-day game to get the season going and it's under lights with the pink ball, which is something different for a few of us.
“You are playing against a strong squad there, Cook, Carbs, Compton, so it’s going to be a good build up to the championship. The lads are raring to go and are excited.”
The Tykes have already added to their trophy cabinet by winning the Emirates Airline Twenty20 tournament in Dubai yesterday, following up a win over Roses rivals Lancashire Lightning with victory over Sussex Sharks in the final.
#YCCC are @EmiratesT20 Champions & the feeling is great. Read our Final report http://t.co/o7h2v9nA9l #EmiratesT20 pic.twitter.com/XytT2KV0P2
— Yorkshire CCC (@Yorkshireccc) March 20, 2015
And Plunkett is hoping Yorkshire can continue their recent success this campaign, adding: “We got told as soon as we got back in November that everyone has to be on their game from day one.
“Everyone is working harder than ever. I've seen a massive improvement in some of the younger guys who are chomping at the bit to get a chance.
“It's going to be a harder year so we're going to have to be an even better side to stay on top. We are looking forward to the challenge and hopefully we can retain it.”
England squad for the tour of West Indies #WIvEngpic.twitter.com/1jTMF4PGnA
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) March 18, 2015