By James Doe

We've not got the overseas option of a spinner, so we've got to nurture the spin bowlers that we've got John Emburey

Middlesex head coach John Emburey is positive but realistic about his side's goals in the coming county season.

After consolidating their freshly-gained First Division Championship status, the club will be looking to improve on the 10 drawn games that saw them finish just above the relegation zone last time out.

Improvement will also be looked for in the National League where they were pipped to the final promotion spot into Division One by Hampshire on the last day of the season.

"There are four competitions, we want to be competitive and be able to win all four but we also know that that's probably not going to happen," said Emburey.

"That doesn't mean we can't be competitive and be potential winners in one or two of them."

With a lot of the big guns of the division strengthening their sides over the close season, the challenge will be a tough one but the former England spinner retains confidence.

MIDDLESEX 2004 Coach: John Emburey Captain: Andrew Strauss Overseas players: Nantie Hayward, Lance Klusener Players in: Lance Klusener, Nantie Hayward, Paul Hutchison, Melvyn Betts Players out: David Alleyne, Alan Coleman, Joe Dawes, Ben Gannon, David Holt, Thos Hunt, Ashley Noffke, Abdul Razzaq, Robin Weston

"We've got a good squad of players together and we feel that they are getting to the ability of actually winning something," says Emburey.

"We truly believe that and so do the players, it's just about going out and performing."

Recognising the impact Mushtaq Ahmed made for Sussex last season, Embury admits the narrow failure to sign Indian spinner Anil Kumble was a blow to his plans.

"Anil was, to a certain extent, a key for us. We wanted a quality spinner that was going to be a match-winning bowler.

"The last time he played county cricket he took 100 wickets for Northamptonshire back in 1995 and it would have been nice if he could have reproduced that form for us."

Increasing the potency of the Middlesex bowling attack was certainly the priority over the winter after Chad Keegan had almost single-handedly done the job with almost double the wickets of number two bowler Joe Dawes last season.

The acquisition of Paul Hutchison, Melvyn Betts and South African duo Nantie Hayward and Lance Klusener has gone some way towards realising this goal.

"If we can get a quality spinner, we feel that the jigsaw that is the squad will be 99% completed," he added.

Lance Klusener could prove to be devasting in one-day games

"We've got the bowling, we feel the batsman are more than capable and we've got the youth coming through."

Of those youngsters, Jamie Dalrymple could really get a chance to impress with Kumble not joining the side.

The former Oxford University player, who scored 236 not out and took 5-49 in the 2003 Varsity Match, is an improving spinner.

"As we've not got the overseas option of a spinner, we believe we've got to nurture the spin bowlers that we've got," says Emburey.

"Jamie's sorted out an injury, he's getting into his bowling and is batting well. It's just being given the opportunity of getting outside and showing us what he can do."

With talented young captain Andrew Strauss leading the team on the field, the still relatively young squad (the average is 26) should provide stiff opposition for most teams.