Rashid predicts trophy charge

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid en route to a five-wicket haul against Durham last week

Adil Rashid is confident Yorkshire can challenge for silverware on all fronts after their superb start to the season.

The leg-spinning all-rounder’s sensational form has been more than matched by that of the team, who sit top of the LV County Championship First Division going into the game against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl, which starts on Wednesday.

Yorkshire’s 346-run thumping of Surrey in their opening encounter was followed by an equally impressive nine-wicket triumph over Durham last week, games which saw Rashid underline his immense promise courtesy of star turns with bat and ball.

He hit 86 and took seven wickets in the match at the Brit Oval and claimed a five-wicket haul in the first innings at Headingley Carnegie to ensure his name - which first came to the public’s attention midway through last season - remains firmly in the headlines.

Though Rashid refuses to set himself personal goals - “If I set too high a targets I might not reach them, so I go game by game and don’t think too high” - he has no doubt Yorkshire have the capabilities to lift at least one trophy this year.

Surrey witness first hand Rashid's quality with the bat

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“It’s really exciting,” the 19-year-old told ecb.co.uk. “We’ve got a solid team this year and I think we’ve got a really good chance of winning something.

“We’ve got Jacques Rudolph, Younis Khan, Jason Gillespie, Darren Gough, Matthew Hoggard - they’re all international players - and we’ve got a good chance of winning the championship, the Pro40 and the Friends Provident Trophy.”

Rashid, fully recovered from the stress fracture of the back which disrupted his winter, is revelling in the atmosphere engendered by new coach Martyn Moxon and captain Darren Gough, who have wasted little time in transforming the fortunes of a side that avoided relegation only on the final day of last season.

“Everything has changed but it’s all good now,” said Rashid, barely able to contain his excitement. “It’s electric in the dressing room - it’s really buzzing.

“It’s good fun as well because Goughy and Hoggy are here. It’s exciting but it’s hard work as well.”

Rashid admits he still struggles to come to terms with his remarkable rise from 2nd XI player to England A international and Test prospect in less than a year.

Rashid has paid tribute to the influence of Matthew Hoggard

His list of admirers has sweeled almost by the week since he took 6-67 against Warwickshire on his Yorkshire debut last July, with England Under-19 recognition and a place on the England A tour to Bangladesh testament to the regard in which he is held by the England hierachy.

“I wouldn’t have imagined myself being here,” Rashid admitted. “I would have imagined myself having a county contract or something, but everything went so well last year.

“I did well in the Yorkshire Academy and the the second team, and my first-class debut was a dream come true.

“I didn’t expect to do as well as that, but once I did I had real confidence and everything went from there.

“I thought I could do it but I imagined I needed more time. Everything just happened quicker than I thought but everything went really well.

“Hopefully I can play a full first-class season and do well with the bat and ball again.”