To say that I'm excited at the thought of the new cricket season is a bit of an understatement. To be honest, I think it's taken me this long to calm down after last year.

There were certainly some real highlights, especially Luke Wright's thrilling 125 against Gloucestershire (and of course my adventures in the hot-tub!), but I have to say that being at the ground to hear the roar when the crowd realised Sussex had won the Championship was one of best moments of my cricketing life.

Of course, I'm hoping for a repeat of those scenes this year but it is important to be realistic. There will be strong challenges from the usual contenders, many of whom possess a greater depth to their squads than Sussex now do. We'll miss a player like Richard Montgomerie, for instance, who had the ability anchor an innings and provide that crucial sense of stability so essential to good batting performances. And there is no doubt in my mind that the squad needs further augmentation.

That said, I think many people last year thought it an impossible task to claim back-to-back titles, especially after a patchy start, but they were eventually proved wrong. Adams possesses an indomitable spirit and, despite the creeping years, it would be foolhardy to write-off players of the quality of Mushy, Yardy and Goodwin.

I also think that Luke Wright might be a crucial component of the Sussex team this year, boosted by the confidence he must have gained from his international call-up, it is surely time for him to hone his talents and reach for that ever illusive but utterly essential quality: consistency (with both bat and ball). He certainly has the potential to do this - and to light up games in the manner of a Flintoff or Symonds - but he must show maturity and a sense of judgement in tight situations.

Make no mistakes, a third consecutive title is a very big ask indeed, but Sussex are still in with a good chance if they can maintain the spirit they have demonstrated over the last two seasons. Intangible as it might seem, it is nevertheless this quality that has lifted them above the other teams and this quality that may just do so again.