OF course revenge would be sweet for Yorkshire against their arch-rivals - but a Roses win at Headingley is crucial for more than just that.

Yorkshire lost their first Roses LV= Insurance County Championship match in 10 years when they were beaten by an innings and 59 runs at Old Trafford in late May, only just failing to recover from slumping to 40-7 in the first innings.

They fought hard to take the game into its final half-hour on an attritional pitch, but ultimately Lancashire claimed 22 points and Yorkshire one.

And that is the reason why a White Rose win is of high importance in the latest chapter of the great rivalry, starting tomorrow (11am).

With this the final game of the initial group stage in the Championship, both sides have already secured top two finishes in Group Three and qualification for the top group in the competition’s latter stages in late August and through September.

Six teams will fight it out for the Championship title and the Bob Willis Trophy, but only four games are played.

Teams do not play those they advance with. Instead, half the aggregate of points accrued in initial group stage fixtures against them are carried forwards.

Despite topping the table by two points from Lancashire, that leaves Yorkshire at a disadvantage unless they avenge the loss.

While Yorkshire have won both of their games since losing at Old Trafford, Lancashire have lost at Glamorgan added to a rain-affected draw which they dominated at home to Kent earlier this week.