Do not expect Hampshire to give up hope of winning the Championship until it is mathematically impossible.

Hampshire begin their final match of the season against Yorkshire at Headingley tomorrow knowing that a 22-point win will give them the title - providing three other results go their way.

Leaders Lancashire are the favourites as they only need 17 points to win their first title outright since 1934.

Six points for Lancashire against Surrey at the Brit Oval would immediately end Hampshire's hopes as would 12 for champions Sussex, who face relegated Worcestershire at Hove,and a 14-point haul for Durham against Kent at Canterbury.

But it is not impossible. Surrey have not lost a Championship match since the beginning of June while Sussex are without Rana Naved (shoulder dislocation) and Murray Goodwin (family bereavement) and could also be without captain Chris Adams (finger).

Kent, meanwhile, are unbeaten in four Championship matches - but Hampshire have to win to stand any chance.

It will not be easy as they are a point behind Yorkshire, who have faint title hopes of their own, but Shane Warne returns after missing the Pro40 defeat at Old Trafford and John Crawley is also in the squad and will play providing he passes a fitness test, having missed the defeat against Kent with a back injury.

Shaun Udal is also in the 14-man squad and will make one last appearance for the county if Warne decides he needs a second spinner.

Liam Dawson will become Hampshire's youngest first-class debutant for 41 years if he plays.

Dawson, 17, will be six days older than David Turner was when the long-serving left-handed batsmen made the first of his 416 appearances in August 1966.

Like Turner, Dawson is a son of Wiltshire but with showers forecast at seam-friendly Headingley, the likelihood is he and Udal will be left out.

A strong Yorkshire side will be captained by Darren Gough, despite the fact that the former England bowler is nursing a shin injury.

The experienced England pair of Michael Vaughan and Matthew Hoggard also feature in a strong line-up that includes Inzaman-ul-Haq.

HAMPSHIRE (from): Carberry, Brown, Crawley, Adams, Lumb, Pothas, Ervine, Warne, Balcombe, Griffiths, Bruce, Udal, Dawson, Benham

YORKSHIRE: Vaughan, Gale, McGrath, Inzaman, Rudolph, Brophy, Rashid, Bresnan, Gough, Hoggard,Kruis.