YORKSHIRE fly to the United Arab Emirates today with skipper Andrew Gale identifying victory over the MCC in their four-day Champion County fixture in Abu Dhabi as the ideal way to start the 2015 season.

Gale's men have both red and white-ball games scheduled during their fortnight's stay and are competing in the Emirates Airline T20 competition in Dubai on Friday, March 20 before opening their first-class account two days later at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

The skipper will be unavailable for the latter clash due to his ECB ban for improper conduct and Gale admits he is "gutted" to be missing the match.

"There's a few counties out there and the MCC as well, so the tour will be a good warm-up for us," said the left-handed batsman.

"With a few of our senior lads missing, it will be a good chance to put the players out there, the younger lads, under some pressure so we can see who will come out of the pack and put their hand up.

"The MCC game is reward for what we've achieved as players – and it's financially good for the club because the MCC will be funding part of the trip. I'm sure the chief executive's happy!

"You look at some of the players who have played in that game in the past – the likes of Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag, for example – and I'm gutted to be missing it.

"Winning's a habit and it creates confidence and a good feeling around the squad. Yes, there will be a bit of wanting to test who's going to play in what position for that first Championship game. But whenever you cross that white line for Yorkshire, you want to win the game you're playing in.

"There will still be a lot of cricket for me out there. Quite how I use that four days when I'm not playing, I'm not sure; probably in the nets.

"But more than likely I'll play in every other game, particularly one-day and Twenty20 cricket. I really want to get my teeth stuck into the shorter formats."