IT'S Australia versus India in the County Championship's first-ever First Division this summer.

And in new coach Bob Simpson, Lancashire have the perfect judge.

Of the nine counties who qualified for the top tier of the Championship, five have gone for an Australian as their overseas player -- with Hampshire's Shane Warne heading the list.

Three of the other four, including Lancashire, preferred an Indian takeaway -- leaving only Surrey, the champions, who have retained their Pakistani spin wizard Saqlain Mushtaq.

As a former Aussie Test coach, Simpson has a detailed knowledge not only of Warne -- who was a key member of his team in the early 90s -- but also Derbyshire's Michael Di Venuto, Durham's Simon Katich, Somerset's Jamie Cox and Yorkshire's Darren Lehmann.

But Simpson also coached India in last summer's World Cup, meaning he has the inside track on Kent's Rahul Dravid and new Leicestershire signing Anil Kumble.

The big disappointment for Lancashire followers is that some of the most exciting overseas signings are in the Second Division of the Championship. So as well as missing out on their trips to Trent Bridge, Worcester and Edgbaston, they will also be denied the chance to see Shoaib Akhtar, Glenn McGrath and Allan Donald -- although Lancashire's batsmen probably won't be complaining.

Lancashire's First Division campaign starts against Kent at Canterbury on April 26, with the first home game against Leicestershire at Old Trafford on May 3.

See our other story for Andy Wilson's County round-up.